Yuki Bhambri

Chennai: Star Indian tennis players, Somdev Devvarman, and Yuki Bhambri, have been awarded wild card entries into the main draw of the Aircel Chennai Open 2013.

The tournament will be held at the SDAT Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium from December 31, 2012 to January 6, 2013.

Somdev and Yuki join an impressive field, which includes four players from the Top 20 in the world. Apart from the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych (No. 6), the grid includes Janko Tipsarevic (No. 9), twice winner Marin Cilic (No. 15) and Stanislas Wawrinka (No. 17).

Somdev notched his best run on the ATP World Tour in the Aircel Chennai Open 2009 when he reached the finals as a wild card entry. His dream run ended when he lost to third seed Marin Cilic of Croatia 4-6 6-7 (3). In 2010, Somdev won Gold in the men’s singles event of the XIXth Commonwealth Games at the R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium in New Delhi and followed it up with a men’s singles and doubles Gold in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

In 2012, the 27-year-old participated in Chennai and was hopeful of putting up a good show but was forced to exit the tournament due to an injury. In 2011, he had a great run at the Australian Open but a shoulder injury kept him on the back foot. This wild card entry into the tournament is a significant recognition of his talent and ability to take on the world’s best.

Twenty-year-old Bhambri defeated Amir Weintraub in straight sets to win the first ever ATP Challenger singles title of his career in Fergana, Uzbekistan on 20 May 2012. In the 17th edition of Aircel Chennai Open, Yuki shocked Word No. 101 Karol Beck and defeated him in 79 minutes . In 2009, Yuki became the first Indian to win the junior Australian Open.

Somdev had a World Ranking of 62 in July 2011 and Bhambri is currently the highest ranked Indian player.