Balaji and Chandrasekar Win ATP Cancun Challenger Doubles Title After Stunning Unseeded Run
Indian tennis players N. Sriram Balaji and Anirudh Chandrasekar produced a series of remarkable comeback victories to win the doubles title at the ATP Cancun 2 Challenger 2026, defeating the experienced pairing of Miguel Reyes-Varela and Ivan Liutarevich in the final.
The unseeded Indian duo beat Mexico’s Reyes-Varela and Belarus’ Liutarevich 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to lift their first title together as a pair. Their victory capped an impressive week in Cancun, where Balaji and Chandrasekar repeatedly found themselves under pressure but responded with resilience in crucial moments. From three comeback wins in deciding match tie-breaks to a composed performance in the final, the Indian pair completed a fairytale run to the ATP 125 Challenger title.
For Balaji, the triumph also provides a timely boost ahead of the US Open, where he will partner Evan King.
Balaji and Chandrasekar entered the final against a formidable combination in Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich. The Indian duo made a strong start and took the opening set 6-3, putting themselves in a commanding position early in the championship match. The second set was far tighter.
With the title on the line, both pairs remained competitive, and the set eventually went into a tie-break. Balaji and Chandrasekar showed greater composure in the decisive moments, winning the tie-break 7-4 to complete a straight-sets victory. The final score of 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) ensured that the Indian pair did not need another deciding match tie-break to complete their title run.
It was a fitting finish after the dramatic route they had taken to reach the final. The victory also gave Balaji and Chandrasekar their first ATP Challenger title together as a pair, an important milestone for two players who have built successful careers in doubles with different partners.
Three comeback wins on the road to the title
The final may have been decided in straight sets, but Balaji and Chandrasekar's journey through the tournament was anything but straightforward. In fact, their run was defined by comebacks. Their opening-round match against South Korea’s Ji Sung Nam and Finland’s Patrik Niklas-Salminen set the tone for the week. The Indian pair lost the opening set 3-6 but refused to panic. They recovered to win the second set 6-4 and then dominated the match tie-break 10-4.
The result sent them into the quarterfinals, but an even tougher challenge awaited. Against fourth seeds Marcus Willis and David Stevenson of Great Britain, Balaji and Chandrasekar again found themselves a set down. They lost the first set 4-6 and were pushed to the limit in the second. The Indian pair eventually edged the set 7-5, forcing another deciding match tie-break. What followed was one of the biggest moments of their tournament.
Balaji and Chandrasekar held their nerve to win the match tie-break 12-10, completing another comeback and knocking out the seeded British pair.
The scoreline read 4-6, 7-5, and 12-10. After two consecutive comeback victories, the Indian pair had established themselves as one of the most resilient combinations in the draw.
The semifinals brought yet another test. Balaji and Chandrasekar faced Mexican veteran Santiago Gonzalez and Taiwan’s Ray Ho, but the match began badly for the Indians as they lost the opening set 3-6. Once again, however, they found a way back. They levelled the match by winning the second set 6-3 and then completely dominated the deciding match tie-break, taking it 10-3.
The comeback was emphatic. The score of 3-6, 6-3, and 10-3 sent the Indian duo into the final and ensured that they had reached the title match without losing their fighting spirit even after dropping opening sets. Across their four matches in Cancun, Balaji and Chandrasekar came from behind in three of them.
They recovered from a set down in the opening round. They repeated the feat against the fourth seeds in the quarterfinals. They did it again in the semifinals.
By the time they reached the final, they had already demonstrated their ability to handle pressure.
The Cancun triumph is significant because it is the first title won by Balaji and Chandrasekar as a partnership. Doubles success often depends on chemistry as much as individual quality. Players must develop trust in each other's decision-making, movement and ability to handle crucial points.
The Cancun run suggested that Balaji and Chandrasekar quickly found that understanding. They survived tight match tie-breaks, recovered from difficult positions and produced their most composed performance in the final. Their title-winning campaign included victories over experienced international pairs and the fourth seeds before finishing with a straight-sets win against the local favourite Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich.
For an unseeded team, the achievement carries additional significance.
Balaji and Chandrasekar were not among the pre-tournament favourites, yet they defeated higher-profile opponents and repeatedly proved difficult to eliminate.
Their route to the title was:
Round of 16: Beat Nam/Niklas-Salminen 3-6, 6-4, 10-4
Quarterfinal: Beat fourth seeds Willis/Stevenson 4-6, 7-5, 12-10
Semifinal: Beat Gonzalez/Ray Ho 3-6, 6-3, 10-3
Final: Beat Reyes-Varela/Liutarevich 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
For Sriram Balaji, the Cancun title comes at an important time in the season. The Indian doubles specialist will now turn his attention to the US Open, where he is set to partner Evan King. The Challenger victory should provide confidence after a week in which Balaji was involved in three high-pressure comeback matches before lifting the trophy.
Anirudh Chandrasekar, meanwhile, will take confidence from being part of a partnership that showed it could withstand some of the toughest situations in doubles. The Cancun title was not won through one dominant performance. It was built through recovery.
Again and again, Balaji and Chandrasekar lost the opening set and had to respond. Again and again, they found a way through. And when the final arrived, they delivered their most controlled performance of the week. From three dramatic comeback wins to a straight-sets victory in the championship match, the unseeded Indian pair completed a memorable run in Mexico.
For Balaji and Chandrasekar, the ATP Cancun 2 Challenger 2026 title is their first trophy together. And after the way they fought for it, it is unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.
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