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Dhakshineswar Suresh continued his impressive run at the Winston-Salem Open by beating world No. 77 Marcos Giron in straight sets on Monday. The 394th-ranked Indian won 6-3, 7-5 in just over an hour, breaking Giron in the opening game and wrapping up the first set in 26 minutes. The second set was much tighter, but Suresh found the decisive break in the 11th game before serving out the match.

The 26-year-old struck 17 aces and 33 winners during the contest, underlining his strong performance against the higher-ranked American. Suresh will next face eighth seed Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who famously defeated Jannik Sinner at the French Open earlier this year. He has also earned a place in India’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games.

Who Is Dhakshineswar Suresh? Know About His Childhood and Early Life

Dhakshineswar Suresh Ekambaram has emerged as one of India’s promising tennis players, reaching a career-best ATP singles ranking of No. 353 and establishing himself as one of the country’s leading singles players. Standing 6ft 5in, Suresh has built his game around powerful baseline hitting and has attracted attention through notable wins, including a victory over former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev at the World Tennis League. He has also made his mark in the Davis Cup, producing crucial performances for India.

Born on March 29, 2000, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Suresh was introduced to tennis at six after watching his father, Suresh Ekka, play at club level. His family later moved to Chennai to give him better opportunities, despite the financial challenges of pursuing tennis. As a youngster, Suresh travelled around 16 kilometres each day by public bus to reach his training venues. His father also pushed him to develop a stronger competitive mindset, even making him stay and watch tournaments after early defeats rather than immediately returning home.

Suresh continued his development under coach Lakshman Chakravarthi and won the U16 national title at the Fenesta Open in 2016, earning an opportunity to train in France. With limited professional opportunities at home, former Indian player Somdev Devvarman encouraged him to pursue college tennis in the United States. Suresh joined Wake Forest University, where he earned All-American honours while studying communication, gaining valuable experience and conditioning that helped prepare him for his professional career.

Dhakshineswar Suresh’s Major Achievements and Career Highlights

Dhakshineswar Suresh has quickly emerged as one of the leading young names in Indian tennis, combining strong performances on the professional circuit with an impressive Davis Cup record. In 2026, he became the first Indian to win a main-draw ATP singles match, defeating world No. 77 Marcos Giron 6-3, 7-5 at the Winston-Salem Open after entering as a lucky loser. He has also produced standout Davis Cup performances, helping India stun the Netherlands 3-2 by winning both his singles matches and a crucial doubles rubber. Suresh has also attracted major attention after defeating former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev at the World Tennis League.

His rise has been reflected in the rankings and at the domestic level. Suresh reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 353, became India’s No. 3-ranked singles player and won the 2025 M25 Bhopal ITF title. He also won the 2016 U16 national title and the boys’ singles and doubles titles at the 2017 Adidas-MCC National Junior U-18 Championship. His collegiate career at Wake Forest was equally successful, including a stint at No. 1 in the ITA national doubles rankings, All-ACC First Team recognition and the ITD Male Player of the Year award. His performances eventually earned him a place in the ATP Next Gen Accelerator programme, further boosting his path toward the professional tour.