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Srinath, Kirtane win

AHMEDABAD, Jan 19: For a home triumph it needs two Indians across the net. Prahlad Srinath and Nitin Kirtane faced familiar faces and the...

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AHMEDABAD, Jan 19: For a home triumph it needs two Indians across the net. Prahlad Srinath and Nitin Kirtane faced familiar faces and their wins saved India8217;s face on Day One of the Gold Flake Aces ITF Futures Tennis Tournament at the AGETA courts here today. The Indians to be pulled back by the foreign hand were Syed Fazaluddin, Vijay Kannan and Harsh Mankad.

Forgetting the home woes, there was also a Irish qualifier8217;s success story. With a ATP ranking as remote as 1244, Scot Barren upset second seed and 334th ranked Lee Martin of USA 6-2, 6-2. But there is more to Barren than eyes can meet. A knee injury forced him a six month lay-off and Barren who was then ranked 340th has pushed down the ATP ladder. But with today display it seemed he has started the upward trot.

India8217;s biggest disappointment of the day was Syed Fazaluddin, who had gained direct entry to the main draw. Fazaluddin lost to Kratochvil 5-7, 1-6. For Vijay Kannan and Harsh Mankad it was the case of lacking the final sucker punch. Theyhad their rivals on ropes quite a few times, but choked when the crunch came. Though Mankad won just three games against third seed Boris Borgula but the match saw a number of deuces which more often than not the Indian lost. Mankad lost 2-6, 1-6.

The fourth seed Prahlad Srinath faced compatriot wild card entrant Vinod Sridhar in his first round. The rankings, the seedings or the form all predicted a open and shut case. But Sridhar8217;s opening statement was impressive and that stretched the issue a bit. But some late manoeuvres helped Srinath survive the scare and take the set at 7-5. The second set saw Srinath getting a hang of things as he took the set at 6-1.

Nitin Kirtane seems to be developing a knack of first getting into the grave and then clawing out. As was the case in the final qualifying round, he won the first set comfortably lost the second and then again won the decider easily.

Results: Joseph Robichaud Canada bt Hernych Czech Republic 5-7, 6-1, 6-4; Amir Hadad Israel bt RuebAndrew USA 6-4, 6-2; Jonathan Erlich Israel bt Allegro Yves Switzerland 3-6, 6-2, 6-4; Martin Hormec Slovakia bt Golovanov Russia 6-3, 6-4; Densi Udomchoke Thailand bt Lubon Pampoulov Austria 6-4, 6-4; Scot Barren Ireland bt Martin Lee USA 6-2, 6-2; Simon Larose Canada bt Ram Andy Israel 6-3, 2-0 retired; Aisam Qureshi Pakistan bt Andrew Serra Italy 6-1, 6-0; Kascak Filip Slovakia bt Luke Milligan Great Britain 6-3, 6-3; Messori Filippo Italy bt Josef Nesticky 5-7, 6-1, 6-2; Michel Kratochvil Switzerland bt Syed Fazaluddin India 7-6, 6-1; Boris Borgula Slovakia bt Harsh Mankad India 6-2, 6-1; Patrick Erhardt bt Cedric Kauffmann France 6-1, 6-0; Prahlad Srinath India bt Vinod Sridhar India 6-4, 6-1; Nitin Kirtane India bt Vishal Uppal India 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Simon Aspelin Sweden bt Vijay Kannan India 6-4, 7-5.

Curated For You

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More

 

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