Billy Harris in action against Tristan Schoolkate of Australia at the Bengaluru Open 2025 on Friday 28 February 2025.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
Diversity of playing styles is not commonplace in today’s men’s game. But on Friday afternoon here at the KSLTA courts, Tristan Schoolkate’s serve-and-volley met Billy Harris’ baseline-driven first-strike tennis.
After sparring for a little under two hours, and entertaining the sparse but enthusiastic crowd, it was World No. 110 Harris who sneaked through by the narrowest of margins, 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, to enter the singles semifinals of the Bengaluru Open. The 30-year-old will meet America’s Brandon Holt, who got past Russian Petr Bar Biryukov 6-4, 6-4.
It was cat and mouse all along, with Harris trying to dictate with his booming serve and Schoolkate repeatedly trying to follow his to the net. Harris broke twice to win the opening set 6-2 only for his 24-year-old rival to respond in kind and take the second 6-1.
Billy Harris in action against Tristan Schoolkate of Australia at the Bengaluru Open 2025 on Friday 28 February 2025.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN
In the beginning, Harris served so well that all Schoolkate could do was send blocked returns back, and they sat up well for his British opponent to execute easy put-aways.
In the second stanza, the tide turned as Harris’ level dropped and Schoolkate found the forecourt a hospitable place. He even went on a hot run, reeling off five games in a row, including two breaks to love.
It was only in the deciding set that Harris’ and Schoolkate’s tennis matched, and that resulted in an engrossing affair. Schoolkate, ranked 23 places behind Harris, went 3-1 up, showcasing some first-rate volleying. But the latter levelled matters at 3-3, displaying his brute backcourt prowess.
In the 10th and 11th games, Harris and Schoolkate put pressure on each other, but both players wriggled out of identical 0-30 situations. And just when it seemed like the set would slip into a tie-break, Harris came up with a remarkable down-the-line return winner to earn his first match-point. Another fierce return, this time cross-court, gave him the bragging rights.
In doubles, top seeds Anirudh Chandrasekar and Taipei’s Ray Ho beat Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-4, 2-6, [10-8] to enter the final. In Saturday’s summit clash, they will meet the second-seeded Australian duo Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios, which overcame Siddhant Banthia and Parikshit Somani 6-3, 7-6(6).
Other results: Quarterfinals: James McCabe (Aus) bt Nicolas Mejia (Col) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Shintaro Mochizuki (Jpn) bt Hynek Barton (Cze) 7-6(5), 6-3.
Doubles: Semifinals: Blake Bayldon & Matthew Christopher Romios (Aus) bt Siddhant Banthia & Parikshit Somani 6-3, 7-6(6).
Published – February 28, 2025 08:42 pm IST
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