Devvarman, who is ranked 315 in the ATP list, needed just over an hour to dispose off the Russian's challenge with a 6-1 6-4 scoreline.
Tomorrow, the 28-year-old will meet the winner of the first round tie between Cypriot Marcus Baghdatis and Argentine Juan Martin del Potro.
Devvarman put up a solid performance against the Russian, who is 148 places above the Indian, ranked 167 in the list.
India's best singles player at the moment broke his Russian opponent's serve four times to take the first set at 6-1.
However in the seventh game, Somdev unleashed some booming forehands and including a standout backhand crosscourt shot as he broke the Russian to take a decisive 4-3 lead.
The Indian then held his serve in the next game to go 5-3 up. Kunitsyn however did well as he held onto his serve.
In the 10th and final game, Devvarman won on his second match point as forehand from the Russian went over the baseline.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
