After dropping the opening set 1-6 while nursing wrist soreness, 17th seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran roared back to defeat Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 and spoke courtside with ITD’s Kshitij Murali.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran · Men’s Qualifying Round 2
Comeback Win · Into Q3| Round | Match | Score | Result | Match Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 | (17)Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND, 122) d. Yannick Hanfmann (GER, 173) | 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 | WON | Converted nearly every break point across Sets 2 & 3 |
“It is a Grand Slam after all, so I cannot really complain about wrist issues — I would rather be like this and win than be feeling 100% perfect and losing.”
— Prajnesh Gunneswaran · Courtside at Melbourne ParkPrajnesh Gunneswaran moved into the final round of the Australian Open qualifiers with a 3 set win over Yannick Hanfmann, a former top-100 player, with a score of 16 62 61. This was a solid win for the Indian No.1 who had been coming back from a tough phase.
After the match, ITD member from Melbourne, Kshitij Murali spoke to Prajnesh Gunneswaran to get his thoughts on the match.
I didn’t feel great in the beginning and honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would get out of that hole. I wasn’t serving well – having problems with my arm, wrist and so on. When I went in, he was all over on my serve. On the first shot, he just smashed the backhand and I ended up running all over the court. I was trying to look for solutions but he was playing a bit too well. At 0-4, I had a chance to break but did not convert and he held onto that service game. However, it gave me confidence that even when he is playing so well, I am getting chances to break his serve. This means if I had been in the match, I would have had my chances.
Especially the 0-3 game on my serve in the first set – I felt I should have held on somehow as the second break was too crucial. Once I lost the break there, it more or less sealed the fate of the set. Had I held that service game and then had that break point, then things would have been different.
I just put my head down and thought I’ll work my way back in the second set. It was also a little bit windy. I am not sure if he really likes these conditions or not. I am usually better than other players in these conditions as I play with a lot of spin. Today it wasn’t easy for me too as I don’t have too much spin to go to right now. I controlled my pace well and used my legs as much as I could. He framed a couple of shots here and there under pressure.
I utilised that opening as I broke him at 3-2 out of nowhere and quickly wrapped up the set. That service game which I held right after the break was very crucial, it was a long game.
I played a good 3rd set. It could have gone either way as he had a breakpoint against me early on. I stayed calm and every time I had a chance, I took it today in the 2nd and the 3rd sets. I was a bit lucky as well as it is not often that you take most of the break point opportunities you get. So I am happy with the way it went today.
I have issues but I will finish this tourney and then look into it. It is a Grand Slam after all and so cannot really complain. I would be happier if I was completely fine. However, I would rather be like this and win, than being perfect and losing.
I think so.
Today it was cold and windy, so it was fine. It wasn’t easy during my previous match – it was not hot but there was something. It was very humid and stuffy.
Regarding the smoke and haze, I didn’t really feel it much because it is as bad in India too. The day when they said that the matches are being stopped, I had checked the pollution levels back home and it was around 700 because of Pongal. So it didn’t impact me as much.