PUNE, 30 December 2018: Saketh Myneni progressed to main draw after getting the better of Egor Gerasimov 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(4) in a thrilling match of the Tata Open Maharashtra played at the Mhalunge-Balewadi Tennis Stadium here on Sunday.

In a see saw battle that lasted for over 2 hr 31 mins, Myneni beat the 163-ranked Belarusian in the Round 2 of the qualifiers with the help of nine aces. 

Myneni took initiative in the first set with the help of a break in the fourth game. But Gerasimov wasn’t going down without a fight. Trailing 5-3, he broke Myneni’s serve in the ninth game to make it 4-5. But the Indian managed to hold his serve and win the first set 6-4 in 39 minutes. 
 
Neither of the players gave an inch in to each other in the second set as it went to tiebreaker where Gerasimov down 0-2 took the set 7-6 (4) to take the game into the decider. In the third set, Myneni looked to seal the deal with a lead of 4-1. But Gerasimov had other ideas holding his serve twice and got a double break to make it 5-4 in his favour. Myneni held on to his serve to make it 5-5 and the decided went into tiebreaker.

Myneni was down 1-3 but dug deep to eventually win the tiebreaker and the match. He will now face France’s Benoit Paire in main draw.

Other results from Day 2 of Singles Qualifiers:

S. Bolelli bt S. Ofner 7-6, 7-5
A. Hoang bt T. Monteiro 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
F. Auger Aliassime bt G. Quinzi 7-5, 6-3