Somdev qualifies for US Open main draw

NEW DELHI: India's Somdev Devvarman beat Poland's Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 6-2 in his third and final round of the qualifiers to enter the US Open main draw at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.
With this victory, Somdev become the first Indian to qualify for the US Open mens' singles main draw since 2002. Prakash Amritraj was the last player, who represented India in a Grand Slam when he played in the US Open in 2002.
Somdev had failed in all three attempts before this year to book a berth in singles competition of a Grand Slam event.
In a match delayed for a day by rain, Somdev came into Saturday needing just 3 more points to secure a win as play was called off on Friday with the score at 6-3, 5-2 15-15.
Somdev had raced through the opening set in just 37 minutes with a solitary break of serve. A double break in the second set put him in a commanding position on Friday, with the result appearing a mere formality when the play had to be suspended for the rest of the day.
Sania Mirza will be the only other Indian in the main draw of the singles competition. Sania, nursing more wrist trouble, will open her campaign against Olga Govortsova of Belarus. Govortsova is ranked 7 places above Mirza in the WTA rankings at 64th place. Sania and Olga have played each other twice in the past and have a win apiece to their credit.