Top-seed Jordan Thompson of Australia and second-seed Yuki Bhambri of India advanced with straight set wins at the Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis tournament on Tuesday.
While Thompson beat Mohamed Maamoun of Egypt 6-4, 6-2, Bhambri got past Bernabe Zapata Miralles of Spain 6-1, 7-6 (3). Bhambri blew away the Spaniard’s challenge in the first set, winning it 6-1 in quick time. He broke thrice and dominated the proceedings with strong serves and punishing ground strokes.
In the second set the Spaniard recovered well and played with much more intensity. Both players traded a break before the set moved to the tiebreak which Bhambri won.
In the other match, Thompson was broken twice but he broke back thrice to take the first set 6-4. In the second set also, he broke Karim thrice to win it 6-2.
In a surprise result, local lad Abhinav SanjeevShanmugam, a qualifier, moved into the second round when Ivan Nedelko of Russia retired due to stomach cramps. Martinez Pedro of Spain beat local lad Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the eighth seed 6-1, 6-4.