Chennai: Local lad Ramkumar Ramanathan is in elite company. The 21-year-old overcame Russian lucky loser Alexander Kudryavtsev 3-6 6-4 6-4 in a one-hour, 50-minute marathon to move into the last eight of the ATP Aircel Chennai Open at Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium yesterday. Ramanathan is the fourth Indian to make it to the last eight of this event.


India's Ramkumar Ramanathan celebrates his win over Russian Alexander Kudryavtsev at the ATP Chennai Open in Chennai yesterday. Pic/PTI

Leander Paes (semi-finals, 1998), Somdev Devvarman (finalist, 2009) and Yuki Bhambri (quarter-finalist, 2014) are the three other players to have got past the Round of 16. The youngster served with power, clocking deliveries at 199 kph. He also outmaneuvered the Russian as he hit topspin forehands into the corners and showed hustle as he retrieved some difficult shots.