SM Krishna Open: Adil Kalyanpur/Mukund Sasikumar win men's doubles title, claim maiden ATP Challenger title
Bengaluru, May 24
Adil Kalyanpur and Mukund Sasikumar gave the host nation a lot to cheer for as they won the doubles title in the SM Krishna Memorial Open 2026, claiming their maiden doubles title as individuals and as a ATP Challenger 50 tennis tournament both as individuals and as a pair, in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
The unseeded Indian pair defeated Petr Bar Biryukov and Grigoriy Lomakin of Kazakhstan, 6-7(3), 6-4, 10-3 in the final, sealing the win in one hour and 37 minutes at the SM Krishna KSLTA Tennis Stadium.
The Indian duo fought back strongly after narrowly losing the opening set in a tie-break. Kalyanpur and Mukund stepped up in the second set to force the match into the super tie-breaker, which they dominated to win the title on home soil.
Earlier in the tournament, Kalyanpur and Mukund upset fourth-seeded Japanese pair Kokoro Isomura and Ryuki Matsuda 6-3, 7-6(4) to enter the semi-finals.
They then defeated second seeds Charles Barry of Ireland and Joshua Charlton of Australia 6-4, 6-3 in straight sets to book their place in the final.
Meanwhile, India's Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Saketh Myneni lost 6-3, 6-4 to Biryukov and Lomakin in the semi-finals. Mukund also enjoyed a strong run in singles at the SM Krishna Memorial Open.
The 29-year-old Mukund produced a spirited performance against Great Britain's Alastair Gray in the quarter-finals before eventually losing 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) in a match lasting two hours and 40 minutes.
In the singles final, Petr Bar Biryukov defeated Belarusian Ilya Ivashka 7-6(0), 4-6, 6-4 to claim the title.
Earlier on Friday, Former top-50 player Ilya Ivashka produced a composed display under pressure to overcome Britain's third seed Hamish Stewart 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in a gripping semifinal, while fourth seed Petr Bar Biryukov outlasted second seed Alastair Gray 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in another marathon encounter.
The SM Krishna Memorial Open was the third Challenger tournament held in Bengaluru this year, after the Bengaluru Open in January and the Karnataka Open, which ran last week.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Amazing comeback after losing the first set tie-break! The super tie-breaker was absolutely dominant - 10-3 is no joke. Mukund also pushed a tough singles match to the limit against Gray. Our players have real grit and determination. Hoping this opens more doors for them internationally. 🙌
It's good to see Indian players winning at home. But we need to think bigger - more Challenger events across different cities, better infrastructure in Tier-2 cities, and proper coaching. One win is nice but consistent performance is what will put Indian tennis on the world map. Let's not get too carried away. 👍
Great to see the doubles depth in Indian tennis! Along with Rohan Bopanna, we now have promising pairs like this emerging. The win over the Japanese fourth seeds showed real class. Congratulations to both players - this ATP Challenger title will boost their confidence immensely. More power to Indian tennis! 🏆
Really happy for Mukund and Adil! Mukund's singles quarterfinal was such a close match - losing 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) after 2 hours 40 minutes shows he's competing at a high level. Doubles win must have made up for that heartbreak. Indian tennis needs more tournaments like this to nurture homegrown talent. 🌟
The SM Krishna Memorial Open is a great legacy event. Three Challenger tournaments in Bengaluru this year is impressive scheduling. Our doubles specialists are stepping up - remember Poonacha and Myneni also reached semis. With proper support from AITA
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