Sasikumar beats second seed Duckworth in Sydney Challenger

Sasikumar Mukund defeated second seed James Duckworth of Australia 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) in the first round of the $53,120 Challenger tennis tournament in Sydney.

In the pre-quarterfinals, Mukund will play qualifier Mark Whitehouse of Britain. Prajnesh Gunneswaran was beaten 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(3) by eighth seed Max Purcell in the first round.

In the Challenger in Yokohama, Japan, Ramkumar Ramanathan was beaten 6-4, 7-6(3) by top seed Christopher O’Connell in the first round.

The results:

$53,120 Challenger, Sydney, Australia

Singles (first round): Max Purcell (Aus) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran 4-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(3); Sasikumar Mukund bt James Duckworth (Aus) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5).

$53,120 Challenger, Yokohama, Japan

Singles (first round): Christopher O’Connell (Aus) bt Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 7-6(3).

$15,000 ITF men, Al Zahra, Kuwait

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Palaphoom Kovapitukted (Tha) & Rishi Reddy bt Hussen Alshati & Yaqoub Mohammed (Kuw) 6-0, 6-1; Bekkhan Atlangeriev & Ivan Denisov bt Patrik Oplustil (Cze) & BR Nikshep 6-1, 6-3; Pruchya Isaro (Tha) & Lohithaksha Bathrinath bt Miguel Garcia (Esp) & Edouard Villoslada (Fra) 6-1, 6-0.

$15,000 ITF women, Monastir, Tunisia

Singles (first round): Amelia Waligora (Bel) bt Tanisha Kashyap 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-1; Gina Feistel (Pol) bt Shreya Tatavarthy 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-0.

$15,000 ITF women, Heraklion, Greece

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Natalia Fehr (Sui) & Annika Kannan bt Elena Bocchi & Francesca Milani (Ita) 6-2, 6-3.

$15,000 ITF women, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Lanlana Tararudee (Tha) & Shrivalli Bhamidipaty bt Hala Fouad (Egy) & Shi Han (Chn) 6-4, 6-2; I-Hsuan Cho & Yi Tsen Cho (Tpe) bt Klaudija Bubelyte (Ltu) & Ashmitha Easwaramurthi 6-3, 6-4.