Fenesta Open title and much more: Manish Sureshkumar hungry for success

CHENNAI: Manish Sureshkumar knows what it takes to win the Fenesta Open. This time, though, the 27-year-old is looking beyond defending his title, towards making his presence at the Challenger level a regular one.

"Starting any tournament is always a bit tricky because you have to adapt to the conditions the balls, the weather, and the court. But as the tournament progresses, the sharpness and feel improve,” Manish tells DT Next.

“I’ve played in Delhi many times, so being familiar with the conditions beforehand gives me an advantage. Hopefully, as the week goes on, I can dial in and play to the best of my ability."

Manish has also teamed up with Nitin Kumar Sinha in the men’s doubles, leaving him with little room for recovery between matches. However, he’s unfazed about that prospect of playing more games.

"I’m used to playing both singles and doubles in almost every tournament, so it’s nothing new for me. It only becomes demanding when I go deep in both draws. In those situations, I have to be very disciplined with my recovery—prioritising mobility, stretching, and rest so I’m ready for the next day,” says the 27-year-old, who is already en route to the singles semi-final, and doubles final.

It has been quite a year for Manish, who finally made a winning return to the ATP Challenger main draw after six years, with a 6-4, 7-6 (7) win over USA’s Ronit Karki in the Karnataka Open ATP 50 Challenger before reaching the quarterfinal.

"Those are the matches I relish most. In Challenger events against higher-ranked players, I play with freedom because I have nothing to lose. Without overthinking the outcome, it becomes the ideal stage to test my skills. When things click, it gives my confidence a massive boost and helps me move forward,” he reflects on the games.

The 27-year-old had a similar run at the Delhi Open, where he made it to the Round of 32, after posting wins over fifth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Carboni and South Korea’s Usuing Park, showing the world that he’s ready for the next stage.

"This year has brought some encouraging results on the Challenger Tour—reaching my first quarterfinal in Bengaluru and beating some higher-ranked opponents in Delhi gave me real belief. Rather than fixating on ranking numbers, my immediate priority is to consistently compete at this level. If I maintain that regular exposure against top competition, the results and rankings will follow."

Now, Manish is set to face his doubles partner, Nitin Kumar Sinha in the men’s singles semi-final at the Fenesta Open, eyeing that title defence. Soon after, his focus will shift towards the circuit, where he aims to climb up the ladder.