Former Davis Cupper Vishnu Vardhan is the men’s top seed while former champion Vaidehi Chaudhari has got the top billing in the women’s event of the Fenesta Open National tennis championship starting at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi on Monday.
Billie Jean King Cup player Shrivalli Rashmikaa and Prajwal Dev in the men’s event have withdrawn.
The seasoned Riya Bhatia is the women’s second seed whereas the second contender for the men’s honours will be Manish Sureshkumar.
Meanwhile, women’s and men’s top seeds Laxmisiri Dandu and Dheeraj KS, respectively, reached the final round of qualifying on Sunday.
Telangana’s Laxmisiri overwhelmed Mahi Trivedi of Gujarat 6-2, 6-0 while Tamil Nadu lad Dheeraj fought off a stiff challenge from Maharashtra’s Pranav Korade 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 in the second round.
Laxmisiri will now face Tamil Nadu’s Vitula Velumani while Dheeraj takes on Punjab’s Yash Yadav for a place in the main draw.
In the men’s action, two seeds fell by the wayside.
Rethin Pranav RS of Tamil Nadu ousted fifth seed and local favourite Moksh Puri 6-2, 6-1 while Telangana’s Theertha Shashank knocked out Gujarat’s Dmitrii Baskov, the sixth seed, 6-4, 6-4.
In the women’s draw, Maharashtra’s Ishwari Matere overcame Gujarat’s Diya Malik 6-4, 2-6, 10-7 while Bhumika Dahiya of Delhi accounted for Karnataka’s Sonicka Jadeesh 7-6 (5), 6-1.
Promising Tamil Nadu teenager Maaya Revathi Rajeshwaran sailed past statemate Diya Ramesh 6-3, 6-3 whereas Diya Bhatia of Uttar Pradesh showed the exit door to second seed Snigdha Patibandla of Assam 6-1, 6-3.
In the boys’ U-18 category, top seed Ojas Mehlawat of Delhi defeated Parag Jain 6-0, 6-0 to move into the final round where he will take on Vaibhav Kr Charotia of Uttar Pradesh.
Haryana’s Dhatri Dave qualified for the main draw of the girls’ U-18 category after beating Maharastra’s Shreya Pathare 6-4, 6-3.
Second seed Pal Upadhyay of Gujarat also qualified with a thrilling 6-3, 5-7, 10-4 win against Haryana’s Snigdha Ruhil.