PRESS RELEASE

Chennai February 10, 2024: India’s Sumit Nagal, the No 2 seed, will clash against Italy’s Luca Nardi, the top seed, in the final of the Chennai Open ATP Challenger in a high-stakes clash that will see the winner break into the world’s top 100 for the first time in their career. 

Nagal, currently ranked No 121, looked to be cruising to an easy win over third seed Dalibor Svrcina, as he built a 6-3, 5-1 lead. The Czech fought back to break once, following which Nagal took a medical timeout while leading 5-3. The Indian then managed to serve out the match and complete the 6-3, 6-4 win in one hour and 51 minutes. 

Nardi, who qualified for the ATP Next Gen Finals in 2023, came from a break down in the third set and saved a match point in a nail-biting, two hour, 55-minute marathon in which he beat Chinese Taipei’s Chun Hsin Tseng 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6). Both players displayed scintillating tennis playing fluent strokes on both flanks. In the end, it was truly luck that played its part when at 5-6 in the third set tiebreak Lucas returned and the ball wobbled over the net and fell just right and close to the net helping him to save the match point. He won the next two points emphatically to seal the match and take his appointed place as top seed in the final. 

Sunday’s final between 26-year-old Nagal and 20-year-old Nardi will be the first meeting between the two players will begin at 5p.m. 

In the all-Indian doubles’ final, the unseeded pairing of Saketh Myneni/ Ramkumar Ramanathan came from a set down to upset the fourth seeds Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha/ Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli 3-6, 6-3, 10-5 to win the title. Myneni/ Ramanathan had earlier defeated the second seeded and third seeded teams in the tournament. 

Mr.J.Meghanatha Reddy, Member secretary Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu gave away the winner’s trophy along with Vijay Amritraj President TNTA, Dr.Magesh, Medical Superintendent Kauvery Hospitals in presence of Premkumar Karra, Honorary Secretary ,TNTA and Vivek Reddy, Honorary Treasurer TNTA 

The Chennai Open ATP Challenger is being hosted with the support of the Government of Tamil Nadu and The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. The sponsors include Coromandel International (Platinum), Indian Bank (Gold), Kauvery Hospitals (Medical Partner) Lancor Group (Silver). The Park Hotels is the Hospitality Partner, ACT Fibernet is the Fibernet Partner, and Chennai Live is the Digital App partner. 

The Chennai Open is the first in a series of ATP Challenger 100 events to be held in India. The tournaments to follow are scheduled to be held at Bengaluru, Pune, and Delhi. Entry for spectators is free and to make it more convenient, organizers have scheduled some matches under flood lights as well. 

The tournament is looking forward to the participation of the tennis fans from all over Chennai. 

Chennai Open ATP Challenger Results, Saturday February 10, 2024 

Singles Semi-Finals 

[1] Luca Nardi (ITA) def. Chun Hsin Tseng (TPE) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6) 

[2] Sumit Nagal def. [3] Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) 6-3, 6-4 

Doubles Final 

Saketh Myneni (IND)/ Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) def. [4] Rithvik Choudary Bollipali (IND)/ Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) 3-6, 6-3, 10-5