Indian challenge ends at Tashkent

Tashkent - The Indian challenge came to an end as Yuki Bhambri, Vishnu Vardhan and Sanam Singh fell in the first round of the $125,000 Tashkent ATP Challenger being played at the Olympic Tennis School here Tuesday.

Eighth seed Karol Beck of Slovakia scored a 6-1, 6-3 win over Yuki Bhambri while Russia’s Igor Kunitsyn ended the run of Vishnu Vardhan 6-3, 6-4.

In a battle of qualifiers Oleksandr Nedovyesov played solid tennis to oust Sanam Singh 6-0, 6-4.

India’s lone pair in the doubles event of Bhambri and Divij Sharan also went down fighting to third seeded German pair of Andre Begemann and Martin Emmrich in the first round. The German pair won 6-4, 6-4.

Following are the first round singles results: Lukas Lacko (SVK) bt Ivan Sergeev (UKR) 6-2, 6-3; Flavio Cipolla (ITA) bt Sergey Shipilov (UZB) 6-1, 4-6, 6-0; Karol Beck (SVK) bt Yuki Bhambri (IND) 6-1, 6-3; Ivan Dodig (CRO) bt Ivo Minar (CZE) 6-2, 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) bt Daniel Munoz De La Nava (ESP) 6-3, 4-2 retd.; Dudi Sela (ISR) bt Konstantin Kravchuk (RUS) 7-5, 6-0; Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) bt Vishnu Vardhan (IND) 6-3, 6-4, Adrian Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) bt Denys Molchanov (UKR) 6-4, 6-1; Farrukh Dustov (UZB) bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3; Amir Weintraub (ISR) bt Brudan Klein (AUS) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5; Oleksander Nedovyesov (UKR) bt Sanam Singh (IND) 6-0, 6-4.

First round doubles results: Uladzimir Ignatik (BLR)/Denys Molchanov (UKR) bt Sanchai/Sonchat Ratiwatana (THA) 6-1, 6-3; Andre Begemann (GER)/Martin Emmrich (GER) bt Yuki Bhambri (IND)/Divij Sharan (IND) 6-4, 6-4.