ATP Sarasota Challenger: India’s Somdev Devvarman reaches quarterfinals

FILE PHOTO: Somdev Devvarman

India’s top ranked men’s singles player Somdev Devvarman got the better of Serbia’s Ilija Bozoljac 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the ATP Sarasota Challenger clay court tennis tournament, being played at the Tennis Gardens of Longboat Key and Resort in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

The 205th ranked Assam-born player started proceedings on a bright note, holding serve and breaking the Serb’s serve once to close out the first set at 6-4.

The 27-year-old Ilija, ranked 332 in the world, wasn’t given any opportunity to break Somdev’s serve, which proved detrimental to his aspirations as he conceded the first set.

The second set followed a similar pattern.

Somdev was rock-solid with his serves and managed to break his opponent once to clinch the second set 6-4 for a facile straight set victory.

The win was a sweet revenge for Somdev, who lost to the Serbian in straight sets 5-7, 2-6 at the Sacramento ATP Challenger way back in 2008.

The Indian now runs into German Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals.

Somdev had met the 152nd ranked German once last year and defeated him in three sets 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the ATP Charlottesville Challenger.

Zverev made it to the last-eight stage after slugging out the 2009 champion and 214th ranked James Ward of UK in three games 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.

Earlier, Somdev launched his campaign prevailing over Canda’s Jesse Levine in three sets 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.

The Indian rebounded well after losing a tight first set.

In fact, the narrow first set loss injected extra confidence into the Indian as he broke Levine’s serve once to draw level, winning the second set 6-3.

The 93rd ranked Candian fought hard in the decider. Games went with serve before Somdev effected the crucial break of serve to win the set 6-4.

This was Somdev’s second career win over Levine.

The Indian had defeated the Canadian in straight sets 7-6, 6-2 in the Nashville ATO Challenger tourney in 2008.

The ATP Sarasota Challenger tournament now has only two seeds left in the quarterfinal stage.

Argentina’s 104th ranked Guido Pella is the highest seeded player left (he is seeded sixth) in the tournament, followed by US’s 120th ranked Wayne Odesnik (he is seeded eight).

Only recently, Somdev bowed out in the first round of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship held in Houston.

The Indian went down to 35-year-old Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo in straight sets. Somdev lost to the 122nd ranked Spaniard 6-7, 0-6.

It was Somdev’s second career defeat at the hands of Ruben.