Synopsis
In a significant announcement, Mukund Sasikumar, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Karan Singh, who excelled in the recent Davis Cup, have been granted wild cards for the 2025 Delhi Open, featuring top seeds like Lloyd Harris and Shintaro Mochizuki.Key Takeaways
- Sasikumar, Ramanathan, and Karan received wild cards for the Delhi Open.
- Lloyd Harris and Shintaro Mochizuki among top 8 seeds.
- The tournament runs from February 10-16, 2025.
- 32-player singles draw includes various entry types.
- Rohit Rajpal emphasizes the tournament's significance for player development.
New Delhi, Feb 8 (NationPress) Former World No. 31 Lloyd Harris and 2019 Wimbledon Boys' Singles champion Shintaro Mochizuki are set to be among the top 8 seeds at the 2025 Delhi Open, an ATP Challenger 75 event returning for its fifth installment at the DLTA Complex from February 10-16.
India’s Mukund Sasikumar, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Karan Singh have been awarded wild cards after their impressive performances in the country’s 4-0 Davis Cup World Group I Playoff victory over Togo.
The hard-court competition will showcase a challenging 32-player singles draw, including 21 direct entries, three wild cards, six qualifiers, and two special exemptions. With momentum on their side, Mukund, Ramkumar, and Karan will be eager to extend their winning streak on the DLTA Centre Court in front of local supporters.
South African Harris, who boasts an impressive trophy collection and has claimed notable victories against players like Rafael Nadal, will be the fourth seed in the singles main draw, while 21-year-old Mochizuki, a rising star from Japan, will be seeded sixth.
Vit Kopriva from the Czech Republic will lead the draw as the top seed, looking to add to his five ATP Challenger titles. The second and third seeds are the UK's Billy Harris and Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate, the latter of whom recently secured his second Challenger title in Brisbane at the inaugural Queensland International.
"This tournament serves as an exceptional platform for both seasoned players and emerging talents to challenge themselves at a high level," said Rohit Rajpal, DLTA President and India's non-playing Davis Cup captain. "With crucial ranking points available, it offers a significant opportunity for players to ascend the ATP rankings and gain momentum in their seasons. The Delhi Open has always been crucial in shaping careers, and it’s thrilling to witness a robust and competitive field ready to compete once again."
Four promising Indian players - Aditya Govila, Chirag Duhan, Sidhart Rawat, and Aryan Shah - have also received wild card entries for the qualifying stage, where they will face experienced professionals for the six main draw spots available. Duhan and Shah were also part of India’s Davis Cup squad, highlighting their potential.
France’s Geoffrey Blancaneaux claimed the Delhi Open title in 2024 after defeating Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong 6-4, 6-2, but has chosen not to defend his title, paving the way for a new champion. Former Indian tennis star Somdev Devvarman is the most successful singles player in the event’s history, having won two titles (2014, 2015).
