World quantity 17 Marin Cilic will headline a robust singles area on the fifth version of the Tata Open Maharashtra, starting right here on December 31.
Besides Cilic, 16 different top-100 gamers will participate in South Asia’s solely ATP 250 occasion.
The 2014 US Open Champion Cilic has received this event twice, in 2009 and 2010, and likewise reached semi-finals in 2018.
Apart from Cilic, the singles essential draw will characteristic 5 different top-50 gamers — Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp (ranked 35), Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori (40), Argentine Sebastian Baez (43), American Jenson Brooksby (48) and Slovakia’s Alex Molcan (50).
The extremely aggressive area additionally consists of 11 different top-100 gamers with the cut-off standing at 115 for direct entry.
Zandschulp competed in all 4 Majors within the 2022 season, dropping the Wimbledon pre-quarterfinals and the Roland Garros Round of 32 to Rafael Nadal. He additionally ended as a runner-up on the Munich ATP 250, his finest present of the season.
Last version’s runner-up Ruusuvuori made good progress by way of the yr, taking three wins over top-20 gamers whereas Baez featured in three ATP 250 occasions within the first half of the season, profitable in Estoril and ending runner-up in Bastad and Santiago.
Brooksby additionally had affordable success as he reached two finals (Dallas and Atlanta) and would look to go the total distance in Pune.
Molcan, a southpaw, managed to succeed in finals in Lyon and Marrakech, the place he recorded a surprising win over top-10 Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The Tata Open Maharashtra, owned by IMG and managed by RISE, shall be carried out by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association for the fifth yr in Pune.
The final two editions of the event have been held within the first week of February.
However, now the gamers can gear up for the season’s first Grand Slam Australian Open, by competing in Pune.
The qualifying occasion will start on December 31 whereas the primary draw shall be performed from January 2-7.