Asian Games | Myneni-Ramkumar combo weathers spirited challenge from Kwon-Hong

Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan celebrate winning a point during their men’s tennis doubles semifinal against Seongchan Hong and Soonwoo Kwon at the 19th Asian Games, in Hangzhou, China, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Before the Asian Games, the last time the pair of Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan played together was in an ATP 500 event in Dubai last year when they came in as wildcards but were dumped in the opening round. Cut to 18 months later, they stand at the cusp of claiming an Asian Games gold medal.

The duo avoided a slip up to make the final here at the Hangzhou Olympic Tennis Centre on Thursday, overcoming a spirited South Korean team of Soonwoo Kwon and Seongchan Hong 6-1, 6(6)-7, (10)-(0).

In fact, since 2022, Ramkumar has had a successful pairing with Rohan Bopanna, winning two ATP 250 titles, while Saketh has teamed up with Yuki Bhambri and won seven ATP Challengers since April 2022. But when the pairing was announced for the men’s doubles at the Asian Games by the All Indian Tennis Association, Bopanna joined forces with Bhambri and Ramkumar and Saketh became a team once again.

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“You should ask this to the federation [on the pairing]. They pick the teams and the players. The men’s were supposed to be six players, then it became five. Even with the girls, it was supposed to be six and then it became four. Those are the questions you don’t have answers to. Whatever chance you get, you come here and compete,” said Myneni.

Myneni, though, he is happy to have a chance to add a gold medal to his tally after the loss in the final from 2014 Incheon and defend India’s men’s doubles gold from 2018.

“I am looking forward to the challenge [of playing another final]. I played nine years ago and hopefully, I will do one better. I am glad I am back here,” said Myneni.

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The Indians started aggressively and broke early in the fourth game of the opening set to go up 3-1. They held their serve well, despite their…