Chennai Open wild cards for Vardhan, Bhambri

Davis Cupper Vishnu Vardhan and talented teenager Yuki Bhambri have been handed wild cards for the Aircel Chennai Open. It ensured that at least three local players will compete in the singles draw at the country's only ATP Tour event.

India's number one player Somdev Devvarman received a direct entry into the main draw on the basis of his ranking.

Promising Belgian David Goffin is the third player to get a wild card for the event, starting January 2 at the SDAT Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium.

World No 9 Janko Tipsarevic and No 10 Nicolas Almagro are the major international attractions in the hard court tournament.

The 345th ranked Bhambri had lost to Russian Alexander Kudryavtev in the opening round in the 2011 edition, in which he competed on a wild card.

World No 318 Vardhan fell in the qualifying stage in the previous two editions.

Goffin, ranked 174 in the world, was rewarded with a wild card after his impressive streak in the previous edition, where he rose from the qualifiers to the pre-quarter-finals before going down to Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, the eventual champion.

"It gives us immense pleasure to give Yuki, Vardhan and Goffin wild cards for the singles main draw. At the Aircel Chennai Open we have always endeavoured to provide Indian players the platform to compete at the highest level and I am confident these young players will make good use of the opportunity," M A Alagappan, Chairman, Organizing Committee of the event, said.