Somdev gets Chennai Open main draw berth

Chennai, Dec 18 (IANS) India’s Somdev Devvarman was included in the main draw of the Aircel ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament to be held here from Dec 30 Jan 5 after Estonia’s Jurgen Zopp pulled out with a back injury.

Devvarman, the World No.90, will be spearheading India’s representation at the $450,000 tournament.

Cutting off at 89, the tournament will see an inspiring array of players and include thrilling talent such as World No.8 Stanislas Wawrinka, World No.15 Mikhail Youzhny, World No.16 Fabio Fognini, and defending singles champion Janko Tipsarevic.

The 2014 edition marks only the second time in the history of the tournament where three returning singles champions form part of the playing field.

This year, 28-year-old Devvarman broke into the top 100 list after an impressive run. In the space of 10 months, he climbed more than 550 spots to No.90.

Devvarman recorded main draw wins at his first six tour-level events of 2013, highlighted by a third-round run at the Sony Open Tennis, and followed with success on the ATP Challenger Tour circuit, reaching the semi-finals at four events.

He also advanced to the second round of Roland Garros and the US Open, and the third round of the Citi Open – all as a qualifier – to re-enter the Top 100 by September and was nominated for Comeback Player of the Year for the ATP.

Other leading players who will add excitement to the event include France’s Benoit Paire, Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, Spaniards Marcel Granollers and Roberto Bautista-Agut, and Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vesselin.