Prajwal goes down fighting to Czech Republic’s Gengel

Marek Gengel | Picture: Sudhakara Jain

Stable effort: Prajwal confirmed admirable spirit, and tried his utmost to open up the court docket and hit penetrating winners | Picture: Sudhakara Jain

India’s S.D. Prajwal Dev went down combating to Czech Republic’s Marek Gengel 7-6(2), 3-6, 3-6 in a gap spherical singles match on the dafaNEWS Bengaluru Open right here on the KLSTA courts on Monday.

The 28-year-old wildcard gained the primary set in a tiebreak after warding off two set-points at 5-6, 15-40, solely to be steamrolled within the second, dropping it 3-6.

When the native lad fell 0-2 behind within the decider, it appeared throughout, however he broke Gengel’s serve twice to guide 3-2. Nonetheless, Prajwal’s 29-year-old opponent reeled off 4 straight video games – together with the eighth, a long-drawn multiple-deuce affair – to emerge victorious.

Prajwal confirmed admirable spirit, and tried his utmost to open up the court docket and hit penetrating winners. However a disproportionate variety of unforced errors proved his bane whilst Gengel’s total superiority – he’s No. 251 to Prajwal’s 785 – shone by way of.

Earlier within the morning, India’s Karan Singh beat compatriot Aryan Shah to enter the principle draw. Mukund Sasikumar, nevertheless, bit the mud within the remaining spherical of the qualifying, falling to Czech Republic’s Hynek Barton in three units.

The outcomes (first spherical, Indians except specified): Marek Gengel (Cze) bt S.D. Prajwal Dev 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-3; Nicolas Mejia (Col) bt Elmer Moller (Den) 6-3, 6-4; Blake Ellis (Aus) bt Michael Geerts (Bel) 6-7(2), 6-4, 7-6(6); Rio Noguchi (Jpn) bt Justin Engel (Ger) 7-5, 6-2.

Qualifying (remaining spherical): Hynek Barton (Cze) bt Mukund Sasikumar 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Karan Singh bt Aryan Shah 6-4, 7-6(6).