In order to guarantee India’s participation in the singles main draw of the domestic ATP tournament, planned at the Balewadi Stadium from December 31 to January 7, the nation’s No. 1 player, Mukund Sasikumar, was given a wild card admission on Wednesday for the fifth Tata Open Maharashtra.
Indian No. 1 Mukund Sasikumar receives a wildcard entry for the Tata Open Maharashtra
The challenging singles lineup, which includes 17 top-100 players, includes the former Grand Slam winner Marin Cilic and last year’s runner-up Emil Ruusuvuori. The 25-year-old Chennai-born player will be this year’s first wildcard entry.
“This is India’s event, and we are dedicated to giving Indian athletes a platform and assisting them in obtaining much-needed chances. Mukund Sasikumar, the current top-ranked Indian, will receive a wildcard, which we are thrilled to do. Prashant Sutar, Tournament Director of the Tata Open Maharashtra and Chairman of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, expressed his hope that the player will take advantage of this chance and provide some spectacular performances in front of the local crowd.
When competing against some of the top athletes in the world, playing in prestigious events like Tata Open Maharashtra always helps competitors develop confidence. Indian participation in this competition has always been encouraged since Mukund Sasikumar is one of the country’s talented players. We have a strong field this year with some big names, so it will be a fantastic opportunity for him to display his skills and gain invaluable experience, according to Sunder Iyer, Joint Secretary of the All India Tennis Association and Secretary of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association.
Mukund placed second at an ITF 15 event in Egypt earlier this month. In September, he won the ITF Future competition in Portugal, his first victory in five years.
After making his debut in the third edition, this will be Mukund’s second main draw participation at the Tata Open Maharashtra. The qualifying last year included the World No. 340.
Due to his participation in the qualifications, Yuki Bhambri will also participate in the singles.
The main draw will take place from January 2–7, and the qualifications will start on December 31.