Djokovic thumps king of clay Nadal to enter third round
The two greats of the racquet game, both in the evening of their fabulous journey in tennis, have fought many a pitched battle between themselves in their glittering careers.
Yuki Bhambri of India won his match against Radu Albot of Moldova in the first round of the men’s singles qualifying for the U.S. Open 2022.
On the hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday night, Bhambri, ranked 552 in the ATP rankings, defeated world No. 107 Radu Albot 7-6(4), 6-4 in one hour and 34 minutes.
Yuki started the opening set slowly and was broken by Radu Albot on his first serve. The Indian tennis player returned the favour right away and then capitalised on the surge to lead 5-2 in the seventh game.
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With more unforced errors and double faults than his opponent, the former junior Australian Open winner gave his rival a chance to tie the match and force a tiebreaker.
The Indian took the first set after winning the first five points of the tiebreaker and stopping a late comeback. Bhambri’s racket continued to produce unforced errors in the second set, but with solid net play and improved breakpoint conversions, he won the second set to go to the next round, according to an olympics.com report.
On Thursday, the 30-year-old Bhambri will compete in the second qualifying round of the Grand Slam competition against Belgian Zizou Bergs, who is ranked 155 in the world. Before the action begins in the main event at the U.S. Open 2022, there are a total of three qualifying rounds for the men’s singles.
The top-ranked men’s singles players from India, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Sumit Nagal, failed to go past the opening hurdle and were eliminated from the U.S. Open men’s singles competition.
Ramkumar, ranked 241 in the ATP rankings, was defeated 3-6, 5-7 by American teenager Bruno Kuzuhara in one hour and 28 minutes. On the other side, Canadian Vasek Pospisil, ranked 132 in the world, defeated Sumit, who is rated 464, 6-7(2), 4-6, to force an early exit.
(Picture Credits – IANS)
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