ATP Binghamton Challenger: Sanam Singh squanders opening set lead to lose in quarterfinals

Sanam Singh

India’s Sanam Singh squandered a first set lead to lose in three sets 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, to fifth seed Bradley Klahn in the men’s singles quarter-finals of the ATP Binghamton Challenger tennis tournament being played in the United States of America.

The 336th ranked India started on a bright note, serving solidly and returning well to wrest the early initiative.Games went with serve until Sanam broke Klahn’s service in the eighth game to gain a crucial 5-3 lead.

With an extra spring in his stride having breached the American’s serve, the 25-year-old Indian held serve at love in the ninth game to pocket the opening set 6-3.

Trailing a set, the American rebounded breaking Sanam’s serve in the second and fourth game to rack up a cosy 4-0 lead.

The Indian did break Klahn’s serve in the fifth game but the former’s serve was again broken in the sixth game.

Serving for the set at 5-1, the American clinched it 6-1 to bring things on an even kneel.

The wheel seemed to have come off Sanam’s game in the third game as Klahn broke his serve in the first and third game to race to a 3-0 lead.

The early damage done by the American in the decider was not enough for him as Sanam broke Klahn’s serve to make the scoreline 2-3. But Klahn held his serve and broke Sanam’s serve for the third time to clinch it at 6-2.

The win was sweet revenge for Klahn who lost to Sanam in three sets 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3) in the US F7 event last March.

Earlier in the second round, Sanam stunned third seed and 152nd ranked Yuichi Sugita of Japan 6-4, 6-2 .

He put it across Croatia’s 381st ranked Dino Marcan also in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

Earlier – three Indians – 275th ranked Prakash Amritraj son of legendary Vijay Amritraj, 413th ranked Yuki Bhambri, and 265th ranked Saketh Myneni crashed out in the opening round.