New Delhi: India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri lost their respective first round qualifying matches of the Wimbledon championships.
With this, India’s singles challenge at Wimbledon has ended.
Bhambri lost to top seed from Spain Bernabe Zapata Miralles 5-7 1-6 while Ramkumar fell 5-7 4-6 to Czech Republic’s Vit Kopriva on Monday night.
The 29-year-old Bhambri got off a flying start as he got an early break in the opening set and, at one point, was leading 5-3.
However, despite Bhambri being in an advantageous position, squandered two set points and it was Miralles who took the lead.
The second set, however, was a drab affair and Bhambri was eliminated from the grass court event.
Ramanathan, on the other hand, India’s no.1 ranked tennis player, took on the 19th seed Kopriva, and the script turned out to be something similar.
With both Bhambri and Ramanathan bowing out, Sania Mirza, who is in her last year on tour, remains the only Indian confirmed to play at SW19 this year.
