Saketh Myneni bows out in the first-round while Arjun Khade qualifies into the singles main draw in the Bengaluru Open

Indian tennis player Saketh Myneni lost to Italy’s Gian Marco Moroni 6-1, 6-1 in his first-round match of the Bengaluru Open 2022 men’s singles event on Monday.

Saketh Myneni, the world No. 558, was convincingly outplayed by world No. 196 Gian Marco Moroni. The Indian, who got a wildcard entry to the singles main draw of the ATP Challenger tournament, could only manage to win a game in each of the two sets.

However, the 34-year-old former Asian Games gold medallist is still alive in the doubles event. He will be teaming up with in-form Ramkumar Ramanathan, who recently won Maharashtra Open 2022 with Rohan Bopanna.

Myneni and Ramanathan have been seeded third in the tournament and will be up against Toshihide Matsui and Markos Kalovelonis in the round of 16.

Arjun Khade, meanwhile, was the only Indian to progress to the singles main draw from the qualifiers. He defeated Austria’s Alexander Erler 6-3, 6-4 in the qualifying round to enter the main draw. Earlier in the first round, Arjun Khade overcame Johan Nikles of Switzerland 6-4, 6-4.

Arjun Khade, who lost his opening round match of the Maharashtra Open 2022 to eventual champion Joao Sousa last week, will take on fifth-seeded Altug Celikbilek of Turkey on Tuesday.

Mukund Sasikumar, meanwhile, bowed out after losing to Croatia’s Borna Gojo 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of qualifying. Sasikumar had defeated countryman Adil Kalyanpur in the first round of the qualifiers.

Top-ranked Indian singles players Ramkumar Ramanathan and Prajnesh Gunneswaran will begin their singles campaign at the first Bengaluru Open 2022 on Tuesday. The finals will be played on February 13.