Bengaluru, Aug 28 (IANS) The KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 Bengaluru gets underway on Saturday with the qualifying rounds, as a host of India’s promising young tennis players begin their quest for a place in the main draw at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium.
The KSLTA World Tennis Tour Junior J30 event, being hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), will see the qualifying competition played on August 29 and 30, with the main draw commencing on Monday.
A total of 24 players will gain direct entry into the main draw, while eight players from the qualifying competition will earn their place, making the opening weekend particularly significant for the youngsters looking to make their mark on the international junior circuit.
The boys’ qualifying competition features Neel Kelkar as the top seed, followed by Daksh Patil, Madhav Dadich, Jagruth Kasireddy, Kabir Parmar, Prabhsifat Singh, Atharva Sriramoju and Arya Thirumurthi.
Karnataka youngsters Satish Jeevith and Arjun Soori Putegowda have received wild cards into the qualifying draw, giving them an opportunity to compete against players from across the country and fight for a place in the main draw.
The girls’ qualifying draw is headed by Riya Pudiyokkada, followed by Avyaktha Rayavarapu, Nalayaazhini Krishnaprabhu, Isha Sharma, Rishita Patil, Heera Niharika and Reet Jhawar.
Adding a local touch to the girls’ competition, Veena Sivaraman and Avni Punaganti of Karnataka have been awarded wild cards and will be looking to make the most of the opportunity to compete in an ITF World Tennis Tour event on home soil.
The J30 event provides young players with a valuable opportunity to compete for ITF Junior ranking points while gaining experience in international-level competition. For many of the participants, the tournament is also an important step in their journey towards higher-level junior and senior tennis.
With eight places in each singles main draw available through qualifying, the opening two days are expected to produce plenty of competitive tennis, with every match carrying added significance.
The main draw will begin on Monday, and will be formally inaugurated at 9 a.m. at the KSLTA courts.
–IANS
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