PUNE, India – In a thrilling culmination to the semifinals at the Maha Open ATP Challenger 75, Great Britain’s Felix Gill and Italy’s Federico Sina have advanced to the men’s singles final. The tournament, hosted at the Balewadi Tennis Stadium in Pune’s Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, promises an exciting showdown between these rising stars.
Felix Gill showcased remarkable composure and tenacity in his semifinal clash against Lithuania’s eighth seed Adas Butvilas, securing a straight-sets victory of 6-4, 7-5. Gill’s ability to hold his nerve during critical moments allowed him to break serve decisively in both sets, propelling him into his first final of the event. This prestigious championship is organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in collaboration with various state bodies, drawing top international talent to Pune.
Meanwhile, sixth-seeded Federico Sina, a world No. 4 junior sensation from Italy, delivered a masterclass against Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic, winning 7-5, 6-2 in a match that lasted one hour and 15 minutes. Sina edged a tight first set before dominating the second with powerful baseline rallies, underlining his potential on the professional circuit.
The doubles final provided equal excitement as Korea’s Jisung Nam and Finland’s Patrick Niklas-Salminen overcame the second-seeded Indo-Thai pair of Pruchya Isaro and Nikki Kaliyanda Poonacha. They triumphed 6-4, 6-7(1), 10-7 in a hard-fought battle. The champions walked away with a trophy, $4,980 in prize money, and 75 ATP ranking points, while runners-up received a trophy, $2,880, and 50 points.
Awards were presented by MMRDA MD Shrawan Hardikar (IAS), MSLTA Secretary Sunder Iyer, Joint Secretary Rajiv Desai, and ATP supervisor Rogerio Santos, with Leena Nageshkar in attendance. As the singles final looms, tennis fans are buzzing with anticipation for what could be a career-defining match for both Gill and Sina.