ATP tata open: Prajnesh Gunneswaran draws Mmoh, top seeds get first round byes

New Delhi: Country’s top-ranked player Prajnesh Gunneswaran will play his opening encounter against American Michael Mmoh at the ATP 250 World Tour event Tata Open Maharashtra starting from Tuesday at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune.

Ranked 103 in the world, Mmoh and Gunneswaran train at the same Academy (Alexander Waske Tennis University).

“Unfortunately I am playing Mmoh who is from my academy and we also did the pre-season together. But I will do everything in my power to send him back home in the first round,” Gunneswaran said after the draw ceremony on Saturday.

The top four seeds, Kevin Anderson, Hyeon Chung, defending champion Gilles Simon and Malek Jaziri, got a bye in the first round. “Last edition I received a thrilling response and cheering from the crowd. I was surprised as that was the first time I played in India and the support and cheering of the fans made me return to the tournament,” said Simon on his return to the city for the ATP World Tour event.

Local boy Arjun Kadhe will face Laslo Djere in the first round. Kadhe, who got his second wild card to this event, will have an uphill task against the world No. 94. Djere, who progressed to round of 16 in the last year’s edition.

Wild card entrant Ramkumar Ramanathan will be playing against world no. 97 Marcel Granollers in a tough first-round encounter.

In doubles draw, top-seeded Indian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will face Radu Albot and Malek Jaziri in their opening encounter. Among other Indian entrants in doubles draw, Leander Paes who will play alongside Mexico’s M. Reyes-Varela have drawn D. Marrero (ESP) and H. Podlipnik-Castillo (CHI).