Yuki top seed at Pune ATP Challenger; Saketh, Somdev are other Indian seeds

YUKI BHAMBRI, who became a top-100 player last week, will be the top seed for the $50,000 ATP Challenger to be played at the MSLTA School of Tennis in Mhalunge-Balewadi complex in Pune.

Former top-100 player Evgeny Donskoy of Russia, currently ranked 118, will be second seed followed by Spanish Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, who made the final in Bengaluru and is ranked 137. British Davis Cupper James Ward, who also reached the final in Bengaluru and is ranked 166, will be the fourth seed.

In form Indian Saketh Myneni was seeded fifth while compatriot Somdev Devvarman, ranked 181, is seeded sixth. Belgian Yannick Mertens, ranked 183, is seeded seventh while Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev will be seed No.8.

Italian Riccardo Regazzini will be the referee of the event.

Meanwhile, wildcard entry and national champion Sriram Balaji was replaced by local boy Anvit Bendre as a main draw wildcard. Other wildcards include junior Wimbledon doubles champion Sumit Nagal, Olympian Vishnu Vardhan and Aryan Goveas.