Maha Open: Jeevan-Prashanth pair enters men's doubles final

Pune, Feb 21 (PTI) The top-seeded Indian pair of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth defeated Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Courtney John Lock in straight sets to enter the doubles final of the Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Tennis Championship here on Friday.

The Indian pair won 7-6(5), 6-3 to set up a summit clash with second seeds Australians Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios, who edged out Jay Clarke of Britain and Jurij Rodionov of Austria 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 in the other semifinal.

Sixth-seeded Brandon Holt of the USA upset top seed Billy Harris of Great Britain 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to enter the last-four in singles at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium.

Holt will next take on eighth-seeded Alexis Galarneau of Canada, who stopped the run of last year's winner Valentin Vacherot of Monaco 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

In the other semifinal, Khumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan will clash with Dalibor Svrcina of Czech Republic.

In the biggest upset of the day, Holt took 1 hour, 59 minutes to overcome Harris to advance to his third semifinal of the season.

Unseeded Sultanov kept his cool to upset fifth seed Ugo Blanchet of France 6-0, 6-2 in just under a hour, while Svrcina crushed qualifier Ilia Simakin 6-1, 6-3 in the other quarterfinal.

Results: (Quarterfinals) Brandon Holt (USA) bt Billy Harris (GBR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Khumoyun Sultanov (UZB) bt Ugo Blanchet (FRA) 6-0, 6-2; Alexis Galarneau (CAN) bt Valentin Vacherot (MON) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3); Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) bt Ilia Simakin 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles: (Semifinals): Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) bt Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) / Courtney John Lock (ZIM) 7-6(5),6-3; Blake Bayldon (AUS) / Matthew Christopher Romios (AUS) bt Jay Clarke (GBR) /Jurij Rodionov(AUT) 6-3, 3-6, 10-5. PTI AM AM ATK ATK