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Emerging Indian tennis talent, Dhakshineswar Suresh, has been named as a wild card entrant for the singles main draw for Bengaluru Open's landmark 10th edition, scheduled to be held from January 5-11, 2026, at the S M Krishna Tennis Stadium, Bengaluru, as per a release.
Dhakshineswar has steadily progressed on the professional circuit and earned praise from the fraternity for his powerful serve and aggressive style of play. Standing at 6'5", the 25-year-old featured in India's extended Davis Cup World Group I squad in 2024, followed by a memorable debut during the September 2025 tie against Switzerland, defeating higher-ranked Swiss player Jerome Kym 7-6(4), 6-3 to give India an early lead and contribute to the team's historic 3-1 victory on Swiss soil. Speaking on occasion, Dhakshineswar said, "It's a proud moment for me to compete at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger, especially in front of my home crowd. This tournament has consistently provided Indian players a world-class platform to test themselves against top international competition, and it's been an amazing effort by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association. I'm grateful for the opportunity and the support, and I look forward to giving my best on court. I hope to see Bengaluru fans cheering for me." The Bengaluru Open returns this year as an ATP Challenger 125 event, offering a total prize purse of over USD 225,000 and 125 ATP ranking points to the singles champion, the release said. Wild card entrant Dhakshineswar will be in good standing, having reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 519 in 2025 and posting competitive results across the ITF and ATP Challenger circuits. He will also benefit from his time in the US collegiate tennis system, where he competed for leading programmes at Wake Forest University and Georgia Gwinnett College. "We are delighted to award a wild card entry into the singles main draw of the Bengaluru Open to Dhakshineshwar Suresh. He has shown strong potential and achievements on the tour in the few events he has played, and was also instrumental in India's victory in the Davis Cup against Switzerland. This opportunity reflects our commitment to supporting emerging talent and strengthening the Indian presence in this ATP Challenger event and we looking forward for a formidable performance by him. We wish Dhakshineshwar Suresh, the very best in the competition and hope this helps him make the required jump in his journey," said Sunil Yajaman, Tournament Director and Joint Secretary, KSLTA. Organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), the Bengaluru Open continues to strengthen and support India's tennis ecosystem. Over the years, the tournament has provided Indian players with valuable exposure to high-quality international competition on home soil. In this edition, Dhakshineswar will have the opportunity to shine on the big stage, along with fellow Indians Sumit Nagal and Aryan Shah. (ANI)
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