Home favourites Sumit Nagal, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, and Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi made headlines on the third day of the World Tennis League at the SM Krishna Stadium, Bengaluru.
AOS Eagles Extend Lead
The AOS Eagles secured a solid victory against VB Realty Hawks, winning 22-12 in the opening match of the day. With this result, they topped the league stage of WTL, finishing with 65 points from three matches, positioning themselves strongly for Saturday’s final.
Mixed Doubles Showdown
The day kicked off with tennis stars Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina facing off in mixed doubles, but this time they were on opposing teams. In a thrilling contest, Svitolina, along with Yuki Bhambri representing the Hawks, triumphed over Monfils and Shrivalli with a score of 6-4.
Nagal Dominates Singles
India’s leading singles player, Nagal, showcased an impressive performance in the men’s singles. The 28-year-old faced former Wimbledon finalist Denis Shapovalov and won convincingly with a score of 6-1, giving his team the early momentum they needed.
Shrivalli Shines
While Shrivalli cheered from the sidelines in the previous matches, she stepped into the limelight seamlessly. After a solid showing in mixed doubles, she battled against the 16-year-old Maaya, a prodigy from the Rafael Nadal Academy. Shrivalli quickly displayed her skill and style, winning the match 6-2 and thrilling the Bengaluru crowd.
Teamwork Triumphs
In a further display of unity, Shrivalli teamed up with Paula Badosa to defeat the pairing of Svitolina and Maaya with a score of 6-3, marking Svitolina’s first defeat of WTL 2025.
Praise for the Young Star
After the match, Badosa commended her young partner, stating, “India, you have a future star here.” The semi-finalist from this year’s Australian Open added, “She carried the team today. Since the first day I hit with her, I have been impressed with her serve and aggressive game.”
About the WTL
The World Tennis League is a unique mixed-team tennis tournament, allowing top players to compete at a high level without the pressures typical of tour events. This year, four franchises contended for the trophy, with teams engaging in a round-robin format where each faced the others in a quick four-set format, leading to the top two advancing to the final.
Results:
- AOS Eagles 22-12 VB Realty Hawks
- Yuki Bhambri-Elina Svitolina (Hawks) bt Gael Monfils-Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (Eagles) 6-4
- Sumit Nagal (Eagles) bt Denis Shapovalov (Hawks) 6-1
- Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (Eagles) bt Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi (Hawks) 6-2
- Shrivalli Bhamidipaty-Paula Badosa bt Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi-Elina Svitolina 6-3