Samarth Sahita Falls Shy of Australian Open Juniors Main Draw
Samarth Sahita’s bid to reach the Australian Open Juniors Main Draw ended in a three-set contest, with third seed Oliver Majdandzic prevailing 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the final qualifying round.
Sahita, currently ranked 104 in the junior rankings, looked in control early. He dominated the first set, giving Majdandzic little room to work with, and claiming it 6-2.
But the 2nd set saw momentum shift towards his opponent, ranked 63 in the Junior circuit. Majdandzic adjusted his approach, tightening his serve and finding angles that troubled Sahita. The Indian’s first-set sharpness dulled, and the German capitalized, taking the second set by the same 6-2 margin.
The decider became a mental battle as much as a physical one. Majdandzic’s experience as the third seed showed. He held firm on serve, converted his chances, and closed out the match 6-3 to secure his spot in the main draw.
Sahita gave himself a fighting chance. He won the first set convincingly and kept the third competitive. But in junior tennis, especially in qualifying, holding onto momentum is where matches are won and lost.
The Indian exits one round shy of the Junior Grand Slam Main Draw, but not without showing he belongs at this level—and his performance suggests it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through.
