Bengaluru, May 16: Bengaluru teenager Kriish Tyagi’s inspiring run at the Karnataka Open ATP Challenger came to an end in the semifinals as top seed Keegan Smith of the USA and Australia’s Philip Sekulic booked their places in the singles final at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium here on Saturday.

All eyes were on the 19-year-old wild card entrant after his stunning quarterfinal upset over World No. 328 and second seed Hamish Stewart had captured the imagination of the home crowd. But against the experienced fourth seed Philip Sekulic, Kriish found the challenge a step too far, going down 0-6, 2-6.

The scoreline, however, did not fully reflect the week the Bengaluru youngster has had or the fight he displayed in patches during the semifinal.

Perhaps weighed down by expectations and the emotional high of his breakthrough victory a day earlier, Kriish struggled to find rhythm in the opening set. Before he could settle into the contest, the Australian had raced away with it. Sekulic broke the Indian’s serve in the second, fourth and sixth games to complete a one-sided 6-0 opening set, using his depth and precision to deny Kriish opportunities to dictate with his forehand.

The second set began with promise as Kriish appeared to rediscover the fearless tennis that had powered his remarkable run through the tournament. The rallies became longer, the Indian held his own from the baseline and matched his opponent through the early exchanges. The crowd sensed a comeback.

But Sekulic, displaying the composure of a seasoned Challenger campaigner, tightened his grip at crucial moments. He broke Kriish in the sixth game and once again in the eighth to close out the match 6-2 and advance to the final.

Earlier, top seed Keegan Smith continued his impressive run, defeating former World No. 40 Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 6-4. The American secured the decisive break in the third game of the first set and repeated the feat in the fifth game of the second to seal a straight-set victory.

In doubles, India’s challenge narrowed to one pair as Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Saketh Myneni defeated top seeds S D Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha 7-5, 6-1 to enter the final. Adil Kalyanpur and Mukund Sasikumar fought hard but lost to Petr Bar Biryukov and Grigoriy Lomakin in two tie-break sets.

Results 

Men’s Singles Semifinals

1-Keegan Smith (USA) bt Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 6-4;

4-Philip Sekulic (AUS) bt WC-Kriish Tyagi (IND) 6-0, 6-2. 

Men’s doubles Semifinals

Petr Bar Biryukov / Grigoriy Lomakin (KAZ) bt Adil Kalyanpur (IND) / Mukund Sasikumar (IND) 7-6 4), 7-6 (4);

Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) bt 1-S D Prajwal Dev (IND) / Nitin Kumar Sinha (IND) 7-5, 6-1; 

The schedule

Men’s Doubles Final 3 p.m.

Petr Bar Biryukov / Grigoriy Lomakin (KAZ) Vs. Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND)

Followed by

Men’s Singles Final

1-Keegan Smith (USA) Vs. 4-Philip Sekulic (AUS)

Pics credit : Deepthi Indukuri / KSLTA

1.      Top seed Keegan Smith of the USA goes airborne to essay a forehand shot against Ilya Ivashka

2.      Fourth seed Philip Sekulic of Australia exults after his win over India’s Kriish Tyagi

3.      Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (left) and Saketh Myneni in action the doubles semifinals.