Uppal all but wins against Mor

After the match resumed, Mor broke Uppal and narrowed the margin to 4-5 and made it 5-all after holding his serve. Uppal lost his rhythm and concentration and was again broken in the 11th game. A backhand crosscourt return by Uppal was long which helped Mor to hold his serve and win the set and game.

Uppal was among the six Indians who failed to clear the first hurdle. Wild cards — Nitin Kirtane, Gaurav Natekar, and Sandeep Kirtane — lucky loser Akshay Vishal Rao and qualifier Saurav Panja all ended their campaign.

However, wild card Harsh Mankad, qualifiers Syed Fazalludin, Vikrant Chadha and Davis Cupper Prahlad Srinath are keeping the Indian challenge alive. Prahlad, the only Indian to get a direct entry into the main draw with 611 ATP ranking, struggled to overcome a tough challenge from 956th ranked Todd Meringoff of the US before winning it 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-2. The match lasted 120 minutes.

Mankad had an easy win over 797-ranked Donovan September of South Africa 6-2, 6-3 and Fazalludin outplayed Akshaya Vishal Rao 6-1, 6-2. Vikrant Chadha, who had his initial tennis lessons in Chandigarh, ousted the lucky loser Miha Gregorc of Slovakia 6-4, 6-4.

Gaurav Natekar remained a mute spectator against James Delgado of Great Britain. Natekar lost the first set at love and was trailing 0-3 in the second and serving 30-40 when he retired injured.

FIRST LEG RUNNER-UP LOSES: Rainer Gunther, ranked 622nd, from Germany, caused a mild upset as he defeated runner-up of the Delhi leg, Dmitri Tomashevich of Uzbekistan, ranked 425 and seeded sixth, 7-5, 6-2.

Results (1st round): Vadim Kutsenko (Uzb) bt Patrik Erhardt (Ger) 6-4, 6-2, Matej Pampoulov (Aut) bt Nitin Kirtane (India) 6-3, 6-3, Alex Bose (Ger) bt Anthony Old (NZL) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, Marcus Hilpert (Ger) bt Noam Okun (Isr) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, Andrej Krasevec (Slo) bt Iain Bates (GBR) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, David Morente (Esp) bt Saurav Panja (India) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, Syed Fazluddin (India) bt Akshay Vishal Rao (India) 6-1, 6-2, Jonathan Erlich (Isr) bt Ali Hamadeh (leb) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), Rainer Gunther (Ger) bt Dmitri Tomashevich (Uzb) 7-5, 6-2, Prahalad Srinath (India) bt Todd Meringoff (USA) 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-2, Harsh Mankad (India) bt Donovan September (SA) 6-2, 6-3, James Delgado (GBR) bt Gaurav Natekar (India) 6-0, 3-0 (40-30) retired injured, Andrew Rues (US) bt Gildas Villard (France) 6-0, 6-2, Vikrant Chadha (India) bt Miha Gregorc (Slo) 6-4, 6-4, Kyle Rudman (Russai) bt Sandeep Kirtane (India) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, Lior Mor (USA) Vishal Uppal (India) 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.

Doubles (qualifying round): H Mankad-Mustafa Ghouse bt Iain Bates (GBR)-Anthony Old (NZL) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1, Donovan September (SA)-Matej Pampoulov (Aut) w/o Saurav Panja-Vishaal Uppal.