Miami Open: Yuki Bhambri progresses in qualifying, Ramkumar Ramanathan exits

The India No. 1 tennis ace Yuki Bhambri continues his good run as he entered the final round of qualifying at the Miami Masters but Ramkumar Ramanathan crashed out of this $7,972,535 ATP hardcourt event on Monday.

Bhambri needed just 1 hour 16 minutes to prevail over the World No. 184 Renzo Olivo 6-4, 6-1. He will next take on the 133rd ranked Elias Ymer of Sweden for a place in the main draw.

Bhambri, who is seeded ninth in qualifying, had a breezy outing against the Argentine. He won 71% of his service points and 46% of the return points.

The former junior Australian Open champion converted three out of the six break points that he earned and conceded just a solitary break point, which his opponent could not make any use of.

The 25-year-old will look to repeat his Indian Wells heroics in the season’s second ATP Masters 1000 tournament. As a qualifier, he accounted for the World No. 12 Lucas Pouille in the second round of the Californian event for the biggest win of his career before getting halted by Sam Querrey in a narrow three-setter.

The effort pushed the Delhi lad up by three spots to World No. 107 in the new world rankings released on Monday, March 20.

Bhambri has made a promising start to the year that saw him qualify for the Australian Open and finish as the runner-up at the Chennai Challenger.

Ramanathan crashes out

The 136th ranked Ramanathan was seeded 22nd, but failed to live up to the expectations. The 23-year-old fell 6-7(4), 4-6 to the 176th ranked Michael Mmoh in a battle that lasted 1 hour 57 minutes.

Both served seven aces but the Indian’s good work was undone by five double faults. His break point conversion rate was poor -- 1/7(14%) -- and that did not help his cause at all in such a tight match. He finished having won 61% of his service points and just 26% of the return points.