ATP Winnetka Challenger: Somdev loses in doubles final, Yuki Bhambri wins

FILE PHOTO: Yuki Bhambri

India’s Somdev Devvarman and American Jack Sock lost 6-2, 2-6, 8-10 to the Indo-New Zealand pair of Yuki Bhambri and Michael Venus in the men’s doubles final of the ATP Winnetka Challenger tennis tournament.

The gripping match saw Somdev-Sock bag the opening set easily at 6-2 before the Yuki-Venus pair neutralized the advantage, clinching the second set by an identical scoreline.

The decider went into tie-breaker where the Yuki-Venus pair exuded nerves of steel to prevail 10-8.

The title win must be some relief for Yuki, who has slipped more than two hundred places in singles rankings in recent times and is hovering outside the top-400.

For Somdev, the runners-up finish should be some solace after he lost in the singles semifinals to second-seed Jack Sock of US 6-3, 4-6, 6-7(5) in the semifinals of the ATP Winnetka Challenger tournament being played in the US.

FILE PHOTO: Somdev Devvarman

The fifth seeded Indian started on a promising note bagging the opening set against the 102nd-ranked American. Somdev effected the break of serve when it mattered to pocket the first set at 6-3.

Sock rebounded in the second set breaching Somdev’s serve to clinch it 6-4 to force it into a decider.

The American was let down by his serve as he double faulted as many as eleven times, but made up for that with superb groundstrokes and good net play. Somdev, on the other hand, served well firing eleven aces, but his inability to close out the crucial points cost him dearly.

It was a battle of attrition in the third set as Sock prevailed over the Indian in tie-breaker.

The win was a sweet revenge for Sock who had lost to Somdev in the second round of the Nottingham Challenger earlier this year.

Earlier, the 136th-ranked Indian disposed off 98th-ranked Steve Johnson of the US 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

Somdev put it across compatriot Saketh-Sai Myneni  6-1, 6-2 in the second round.

He defeated American 612th ranked Sekou Bangoura6-7(7), 6-3, 6-1 in the first round.