The Maha Open ATP Challenger 75 in Pune heated up as Felix Gill of Great Britain and Federico Sina of Italy punched their tickets to the men’s singles championship match. Played under the lights at the Mahalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium, these semifinals highlighted the depth of talent in the Challenger tour.
In a gripping encounter, Gill outlasted eighth-seeded Lithuanian Adas Butvilas 6-4, 7-5. Displaying grit and strategic patience, Gill converted key breaks to seal his progression. The event, backed by the Maharashtra government and local authorities, continues to elevate Pune’s status as a tennis hub in India.
Sina, the sixth seed and a top junior prospect, was equally commanding, dispatching Croatian Duje Ajdukovic 7-5, 6-2. After navigating a competitive opener, Sina unleashed his aggressive game in the second set, relying on extended rallies to overwhelm his opponent in straight sets over 75 minutes.
Over in doubles, the fourth-seeded duo of Jisung Nam (Korea) and Patrick Niklas-Salminen (Finland) staged a comeback to defeat Pruchya Isaro and Nikki Kaliyanda Poonacha (Indo-Thai pair) 6-4, 6-7(1), 10-7. Prize honors included $4,980 and 75 ATP points for the winners, with $2,880 and 50 points for the runners-up.
Ceremonial presentations featured dignitaries like MMRDA’s Shrawan Hardikar, MSLTA’s Sunder Iyer and Rajiv Desai, ATP’s Rogerio Santos, and guest Leena Nageshkar. With the final set, all eyes turn to Gill versus Sina – a clash that could redefine their trajectories in professional tennis.