Reflecting on the turnaround, Karthik admitted he feared an early exit following his sluggish opening. However, a disciplined approach to his service games kept him in contention during the second set. After clinching the tie-break 7-3, he maintained his aggressive momentum, securing an early break in the deciding set to eventually pull away from his opponent and seal his spot in the next round.
Top seeds advance in singles draws
While Karthik provided the day's major upset, the tournament's top-ranked players largely maintained their form. Men’s top seed
The women’s singles draw saw the top five seeds successfully navigate their respective matches to reach the quarterfinals. Vaidehee Chaudhari registered a 6-4, 6-1 win against 16-year-old Ahaan Ahaan, while Shruti Ahlawat moved forward with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Parthsarthi Mundhe. Third seed Akanksha Nitture also progressed, overcoming a second-set lapse to defeat Yubrani Banerjee 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
Junior categories see upsets and endurance tests
The junior draws were marked by both high-intensity battles and notable exits. In the Boys U-18 category, top seed Praneel Sharma was knocked out by Veer Jiten Madam, who claimed a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory. Fourth seed Om Ramesh Patel and fifth seed Aditya Mor both secured straight-set wins to ensure their progression to the quarterfinals.
The Girls U-18 event featured a grueling encounter between top seed Savitha Bhuvaneswaran and 14th seed Aahida Singh. The match, which spanned two hours and 45 minutes, ended prematurely when Singh was forced to retire with Bhuvaneswaran leading 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-0. Bhuvaneswaran now advances to the quarterfinals alongside second seed Parthsarthi Mundhe and third seed Shreeniti Chowdhury.
