Dhakshineswar served 20 aces and didn’t face a single break-point in opposition to the higher-ranked Croat.
| Photograph Credit score: SUDHAKARA JAIN
Dhakshineswar Suresh got here up with a power-packed efficiency to oust Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic 6-4, 6-4 within the opening spherical of the Dafa Information Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger 125 on the S.M. Krishna Stadium right here on Tuesday.
It didn’t matter that Ajdukovic was practically 200 rating locations higher off (329 to Dhakshineswar’s 521), and was a three-time ATP Challenger titlist. Dhakshineswar, who performs for the Wake Forest College within the US collegiate system, had simply 10 Challenger matches underneath his belt, having gained 5 of these and none in India.
But, the 25-year-old wildcard was confidence personified, serving 20 aces, profitable 34 of 38 first-serve factors and never dealing with a single break-point in a contest that lasted simply 4 seconds shy of an hour.
Dhakshineswar’s effort continued his latest purple patch that has seen him register a memorable win within the Davis Cup World Group I tie in opposition to Switzerland final September the place he beat a participant ranked greater than 450 locations above him, and win a set in opposition to Daniil Medvedev within the World Tennis League (WTL) exhibition.
“It was a extremely good day. Can’t get any higher,” he mentioned after the win. “I used to be right here a few weeks in the past for the WTL and I knew the circumstances. That performed a giant function.”
Dhakshineswar wanted simply two breaks of serve — one within the opening recreation and one other within the fifth recreation of the second set. The second, in reality, was to like, and the simple volley that Ajdukovic dumped into the web on break-point was emblematic of his struggles.
He hardly ever guessed a serve proper, and on the odd events he did, he didn’t possess the legs to stretch the rally. The house lad additionally had a vicious kick-serve, which he used on the seconds to make his general recreation just about impregnable.
However his countrymen Karan Singh and Aryan Shah didn’t fare effectively as they tamely bowed out.
Different outcomes (first spherical): Singles: Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (Ger) bt Max Houkes (Ned) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1; Felix Balshaw (Fra) bt Benjamin Hassan (Lbn) 6-4, 6-1; Borna Gojo (Cro) bt Karan Singh 6-2, 6-4; Eric Vanshelboim (Ukr) bt Niels Visker (Ned) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4; Beibit Zhukayev (Kaz) bt Aryan Shah 6-1, 6-2; Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong (Mas) bt Aziz Ouakaa (Tun) 6-2, 6-2; Pedro Martinez (Esp) bt Eero Vasa (Fin) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles: Adil Kalyanpur & Saketh Myneni bt Lloyd Harris & Sumit Nagal 7-6(3), 4-6, [13-11].
Revealed – January 06, 2026 09:21 pm IST
