Google News Tata Open Maharashtra: Former titlist Marin Cilic set to comeback to India in 2023!
by ABBEY JOHNSON
Marin Cilic’s to play the 2023 Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune to start the new season. The Croatian’s a two-time former champion at the event, winning it in 2009-10 back when it was held in Chennai. Most recently, the 2014 US Open champion reached the semi-finals of the tournament in Pune, in 2018.
Apart from the world no. 17, some of the other notable participants in the event include 2022 finalist, Emil Ruusuvuori. The 40th-ranked Finn had made it to his maiden ATP final in Pune, last year. 2021 US Open semi-finalist and world no.
35, Botic van de Zandschulp, world no. 43 Sebastian Baez, world no. 48 Jenson Brooksby, and world no. 50 Alex Molcan will also be part of the main draw. This is the first time since 2019 that the tournament’s being played in January, before the Australian Open.
In 2020, the tournament was shifted to February and was played after the Australian swing as was the case in 2022. In 2021, the event had to be cancelled on account of the pandemic. The tournament was first played in Pune in 2018.
Up to 2017, it was held in the southern city of Chennai and was known as the Chennai Open. In his media address, Prashant Sutar, the tournament director said, “Hosting Tata Open Maharashtra is a great pride not just for Maharashtra but also for the country.
The upcoming edition will be a celebration of five glorious years of tennis in Pune. The tournament returning to January first week is really satisfying for us as organisers because there will be more exciting competition in the presence of bigger names and this singles acceptance list reflects the same.
We are looking forward to welcoming all the players, officials, and the fans to make this fifth edition even more special”. The ranking cut-off for players’ direct entry in the upcoming edition of the tournament’s 115.
Portugal’s Joao Sousa won the 2022 Tata Open Maharashtra, his first ATP trophy in almost four years, since 2018. It was also the fourth title of Sousa’s career.