ATP Nottingham Challenger: Somdev loses in semifinals

India’s Somdev Devvarman lost to American Steve Johnson in straight sets 3-6, 4-6 in the semifinals of the ATP Nottingham Challenger Tennis tournament.

India’s top-ranked men’s singles player came a cropper against the 120^th ranked American, struggling to find the form that saw him make the last four stage.

Johnson broke Somdev’s serve to gain the upper hand in the opening set and maintained the pressure on his opponent. Somdev was let down by his inconsistent serve and slew of unforced errors even as the American won the first set at 6-3.

The American had an extra spring in his stride having won the first set, and carried that confidence into the second set, breaking Somdev’s serve when it mattered to bag the set at 6-4.

It was Johnson’s first win over Somdev in two head-to-head encounters. Earlier in 2010, Somdev got the better of Johnson in the Los Angelses Challenger in straight games 6-4, 6-4.

Earlier in the quarterfinals, Somdev rallied from a set down to put it across 102^nd ranked American Jack Sock 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.

The 140^th ranked India outlasted another American Donald Young 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in the second round.

He had accounted for 253^rd ranked Australian Brydan Klein 7-6(2), 6-4 in the opening round.

Somdev had jumped 48 places to 140 in the latest ATP rankings.

The significant jump in rankings can be attributed to his semi-final finish at the recently held ATP Caltanissetta Challenger in Italy and a second round appearance at the French Open after going through the qualifying route.

At the ATP Caltanissetta Challenger, Somdev lost to Argentina’s 125th ranked Federico Delbonis 4-6, 0-6 in the semi-finals.

Earlier, the country’s top-ranked men’s singles player defeated Leonardo Mayer in the quarterfinals. He had got the better of another Argentinian Eduardo Schwank in the first round when his opponent retired hurt.

Somdev reached the second round of the French Open after defeating Spain’s 145th ranked Pablo Carreno-Busta 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 and had lost to world number three Roger Federer.

He had made the main draw after getting the better of 113th ranked American Wayne Odesnik in the final qualifying tie.

Somdev had earlier reached the semi-finals of the ATP Sarasota Challenger clay court tennis tournament, where he beat 93rd ranked Jesse Levine of Canada in the first round before toppling the 152nd ranked German Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals.

He is on a comeback trail after a lingering shoulder injury consigned him to the sidelines for more than nine months in 2012.

Somdev has been regularly taking part in ATP events only since late last year.

He had reached a career-high ATP ranking of 62 in July 2011.

Earlier this year, he took on world number one Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Miami Masters and lost in straight sets to the Serb.