Prajnesh ends runner-up at Ningbo Challenger

Prajnesh Gunneswaran will have to wait for his second title of the season on the ATP Challenger circuit as he finished runner-up at the Ningbo Challenger in China after playing his heart out in the final against Thomas Fabbiano.

After losing a close first set, Prajnesh won the second but eventually lost a marathon summit clash 6-7(4) 6-4 3-6 after battling hard for almost three hours against the Italian, who is ranked 131 but reached a career-high 70 last year.

Prajnesh saved five match points in the third set but not converting eight break points in the opening set cost him dear.

 

The 28-year-old Indian, ranked 170, was playing his second final of the season on the Challenger circuit having won the Kunming Challenger in April this year.

The Indian left-hander earned 65 ranking points and pocketed USD 12,720 as prize money for his effort.