Rastogi gets wild card for Chennai Open

India's up and coming tennis player Karan Rastogi has been extended the third and final wild card for the singles event of the Chennai Open ATP Tour tennis championship starting at Chennai on January 3.

Former tennis ace Vijay Amritraj's son, Prakash Amritraj, and India's Davis Cup captain, Leander Paes have already accepted the other wild cards for the main draw. Four qualifiers would be spotted in the two-day qualifying event to be held on January 1 and 2 to complete the draw of 32.

Announcing the wild card for Rastogi, Ravi Krishnan, Managing Director, South Asia of IMG, the rights holders of the event, said, "IMG has always been excited about promoting fresh young talent in India and Karan is one of India's hottest up and coming players and his performance at the ABN Amro India Challenge was proof of his talent."

Rastogi defeated second seed Vinod Sridhar of Tamil Nadu in straight sets (6-3, 6-0) in 50 minutes to earn a wild card for the ABN Amro World Tennis tournament to be held from February 14 to 20 at Rotterdam.

The Delhi based player had started playing tennis at age three and is coached by Ramo Rao. He is presently training at the world famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in the US.

Rastogi, who had played in the last edition of Chennai Open as a wild card entrant and lost in the first round to Julian Knowles, said, "I am playing some good tennis now and hope to give the Indian tennis lovers something to cheer about."