Sriram Balaji Reaches Maiden ATP 500 Semi-Final
Indian tennis player N. Sriram Balaji has reached a significant milestone in his career by advancing to his first-ever ATP 500 semi-final at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco. Partnering with Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, the wildcard duo has been on a remarkable run, defeating higher-ranked opponents and making their presence felt on the big stage.
Balaji and Reyes-Varela started their campaign with an impressive upset in the Round of 16, where they stunned the second-seeded pair of Sander Gille from Belgium and Jan Zielinski from Poland, winning 6-4, 6-2. The victory set the tone for their remarkable journey in the tournament.
In the quarter-finals, the pair showcased their resilience by coming from behind to defeat fellow wildcards Hans Hach Verdugo from Mexico and JJ Tracy from the USA. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, they bounced back to win 6-7(5), 6-2, 10-8 in a thrilling contest.
With this victory, Balaji not only secured his place in the semi-finals of an ATP 500 event for the first time but also climbed to 62 in the Live ATP Doubles Rankings, just one spot shy of his career-best ranking of 61.
The duo will now face the fourth-seeded French pair of Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul in the semi-finals. This remarkable performance highlights Balaji’s steady rise in the doubles circuit, and his partnership with Reyes-Varela has proven to be a formidable combination.
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