India's Yuki Bhambri and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan cleared the first hurdle in the qualifying event of the ATP Chennai Open, scoring easy wins over their compatriots in Chennai.
Bhambri outplayed Siddharth Rawat 6-1, 6-3 in his first round qualifying match of the $250,000 hard court event while left-handed Nedunchezhiyan defated Lakshit Sood 6-2, 6-2.
Among other Indians reaching the second round were Vinayak Kaza, who rallied to beat Thai player Danai Udomchoke 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, and Sasi Mukund, who got the better of wild card Fahad Mohammed 6-3 6-4.
National hard court champion Vishnu Vardhan and N Vijay Sundar Prashanth also moved to the second round. Vardhan defeated Suraj Prabodh 6-1 6-3 while Prashanth advanced when Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha retired mid-way through the contest. Prashanth was leading 6-1, 5-2 when Poonacha retired.
Other Results:
A Kudryavtsev (RUS) bt M Jayaprakash (IND) 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-2
E Donskoy (RUS) bt M Pavic (CRO) 6-4, 6-4
I Marchenko (UKR) bt F Cermak (CZE) 6-3, 6-4
A Bedene (SLO) bt [WC] S Nagal (IND) 6-2, 6-0
L Vanni (ITA) bt [WC] R Raswant (IND) 6-2, 6-2
P Torebko (GER) bt O Marach (AUT) 6-3 1-0 Retired
M Venus (NZL) bt C Sood (IND) 6-3, 6-4
T Fabbiano (ITA) bt [WC] R Manoah (IND) 6-0 6-0
K Kaza (IND) bt D Udomchoke (THA) 3-6 6-4 6-2
E Gerasimov (BLR) bt A Wagh (IND) 6-1 6-0.
Image: Yuki Bhambri in action againt Siddharth Rawat
Photograph: PTI
