Mixed day for Indians at Tashkent Challenger

Tashkent - It was a mixed day for Indian tennis players as Davis Cup players Vishnu Vardhan and Sanam Singh entered the second round of qualifying while Somdev Devvarman, Divij Sharan and Vijaykant Malik fell in the opening round of the Tashkent Challenger.

In the first round of the $125,000 ATP Challenger Series qualifiers, third seed Vardhan got the better of Uzbek wildcard Sardor Rakhimov 6-4, 6-2 while sixth seeded Sanam easily went past another local wildcard Pavel Tsoy 6-2, 6-2 here Saturday.

Devvarman, making a comeback following an injury, looked rusty as he lost to top seed Oleksandr Nedovyesov of Ukraine. The Ukrainian, ranked 227 in the world, won 6-4, 7-6(3).

In the second set, Devvarman squandered a 5-2 lead and held two set points at 5-3 before going down in the tie-break.

Belarusian Alexander Bury outplayeded Vijayant Malik 6-3, 6-2 while Davis Cupper Divij Sharan went down to Thai player Weerapat Doakmaiklee in three sets. Doakmaiklee won 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2 in a match lasting two hours.

Qualifying first round results:

Oleksandr Nedovyesov (UKR) bt Somdev Devverman (IND) 6-4, 7-6(3); Andre Begemann (GER) bt Kittipong Wachiramanowong (THA) 6-0, 6-4; Vishnu Vardhan (IND) bt Sardor Rakhimov (UZB) 6-4, 6-2; Divij Sharan (IND) bt Weerapat Doakmaiklee (THA) 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2; Alexander Bury (BLR) bt Vijayant Malik (IND) 6-3, 6-2; Sanam Singh (IND) VS Pavel Tsoy (UZB) 6-2, 6-2.