Somdev, Rastogi make winning starts at Singapore Challenger

Singapore: Top seed Somdev Devvarman and wildcard Karan Rastogi entered the singles second round of the ATP Challenger event here after scoring contrasting wins in their opening rounds.

While Somdev steamrolled Thai wildcard Peerakiat Sirileuthaiwattana 6-2, 6-1; Rastogi had to work hard for a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win over Australia’s Brydan Klien at the Kallang tennis centre here. Somdev will next take on 203rd-ranked Australian John Millman, who had to pull out all his experience to scrape past wildcard entrant and world number 284 Sergei Bubka 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-2 in a match lasting two hours and 29 minutes.Rastogi will clash with former top-20 Russian Dmitry Tursonov, who outplayed sixth seed Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4.“I started well, but lost my game midway in the match and also played a bad second set, It’s great to come back from being broken two times in the third set.” “I’m also happy to have played with a cool head after having to wait on a couple of occasions with my opponent using time to recover from cramps at crucial moments,” Rastogi said after the match. PTI