December 30, 2017 9:30 PM

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Yuki Bhambri gets easy opener at Tata Open tennis; Marin Cilic, Roberto Bautista Agut get first round byes

India's top singles player Yuki Bhambri got an easy season-opener against wild card entrant Arjun Kadhe while tournament-favourite Marin Cilic and defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut got first round byes at the Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune today.Ramkumar Ramanathan, another wild card Indian, was drawn to meet Roberto Carballes Baena, ranked 106 in the world. If Ramkumar, who is ranked 148, manages to cross the first round hurdle will meet Cilic in the pre-quarterfinals. Bhambri, ranked 116 in the world, had reached the second round when the ATP 250 event was played in Chennai in January 2017. The 25-year-old Bhambri, who shocked Gael Monfils at the Citi Open, may run into eighth seed and world number 81 Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the pre-quarterfinals. Cilic, who ended runner-up to legendary Roger Federer at this year's Wimbledon, had suffered a shock second defeat to Slovakian Jozef Kovalik during last edition in Chennai. Spanish Bautista Agut, who won the title last year, will meet winner of the first round clash between Giles Simon and Tennys Sandgren. Second seed and world number 14 Kevin Anderson, the US Open finalist this year, has also got a bye.The ATP event is being hosted in the state for the first time, after it was moved from Chennai.The qualifying rounds is being played today and tomorrow. The main draw starts January 1, 2018.

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