Siddhant Banthia and Arjun Kadhe Finish Runners-Up at ATP 75 Milan Challenger After Impressive Doubles Campaign

Indian doubles specialists Siddhant Banthia and Arjun Kadhe produced another encouraging performance on the ATP Challenger Tour, finishing runners-up at the ATP 75 Milan Challenger after an impressive week in Italy.

The Indian pair fell just short of the title in the final, losing 3-6, 6-7(5) to home favourites Francesco Forti and Filippo Romano. Despite the defeat, Banthia and Kadhe can take plenty of positives from a tournament in which they consistently displayed resilience, tactical awareness and strong chemistry to reach the championship match.

Their runner-up finish adds another significant result to an increasingly productive season and further strengthens India's presence on the international doubles circuit.

The road to the final was far from straightforward. Banthia and Kadhe entered the tournament facing quality opposition but steadily built momentum with every round. Their ability to raise their level in crucial moments proved decisive as they overcame experienced doubles teams to secure a place in the title clash.

One of their standout victories came in the Round of 16, where they defeated the pairing of South Korea's Nam Ji-sung and Finland's Patrik Niklas-Salminen. After dropping the opening set, the Indian duo fought back impressively to register a 4-6, 7-6(8), 10-5 victory in the match tie-break.

The statistics reflected how closely contested the encounter was. Banthia and Kadhe served fewer first serves than their opponents but compensated with a higher percentage of points won behind both their first and second deliveries. Their composure during the deciding tie-break ultimately proved to be the difference.

Winning such tight matches is often what separates successful doubles teams from the rest, and the comeback demonstrated the confidence growing within the Indian partnership.

The Indian duo followed up with another impressive display in the quarterfinals against Spain's Bruno Pujol Navarro and David Vega Hernández. Kadhe and Banthia secured a 7-6(4), 6-3 victory, producing one of their most complete performances of the tournament.

Although the Spanish pair recorded more aces and a slightly higher first-serve percentage, the Indians were significantly more effective behind their own serve. They won 80 percent of points on their first serve while converting two of their four break-point opportunities.

Their ability to capitalise on key moments while maintaining consistency from the baseline allowed them to control the second set and book a place in the semifinals. In the semifinals, the Indian pair was scheduled to face Italy's Jacopo Martin and Pietro Basile. However, the Italians were forced to withdraw before the match, handing Banthia and Kadhe a walkover into the final.

While progressing without playing allowed the Indians additional recovery time ahead of the championship match, it also meant they entered the final without competitive match rhythm compared to their opponents. Nevertheless, they had already demonstrated enough quality throughout the week to establish themselves as deserving finalists.

The championship match saw the Indian duo take on local favourites Francesco Forti and Filippo Romano. Backed by home support, the Italian pair started strongly, taking the opening set 6-3 through aggressive returning and consistent serving. Rather than fading away, Banthia and Kadhe responded positively in the second set.

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Both teams held serve consistently, producing high-quality doubles tennis with very few opportunities for either side to create separation. The set eventually required a tie-break, where the margins became even finer. The Indians battled throughout but were narrowly edged 7-5 in the breaker, allowing Forti and Romano to lift the title in front of the home crowd.

Although disappointed to miss out on the trophy, Banthia and Kadhe demonstrated they possess the ability to compete against experienced Challenger-level doubles teams.

The tournament also continues the impressive recent run of Siddhant Banthia on the ATP Challenger circuit. In recent months, the Indian has established himself as one of the country's most consistent doubles performers, regularly reaching the latter stages of Challenger events and building valuable ATP ranking points. His movement at the net, anticipation and ability to construct points have become key strengths, making him an increasingly reliable doubles specialist.

Partnering with Arjun Kadhe has further strengthened his performances, with the pair complementing each other's playing styles effectively. Kadhe's experience and powerful serving combined with Banthia's sharp reflexes at the net have helped create a balanced partnership capable of challenging higher-ranked opponents.

Indian tennis has traditionally enjoyed success in doubles, producing world-class players across generations. While the current era may not yet have reached those historic heights, partnerships such as Banthia and Kadhe continue to keep India competitive on the ATP Challenger Tour. Their consistent performances provide valuable ranking points while increasing opportunities to compete in bigger tournaments throughout the season.

Reaching Challenger finals also builds confidence ahead of higher-level ATP events and strengthens their chances of qualifying for prestigious competitions in the future.

Although the ATP 75 Milan Challenger title narrowly slipped away, the week represented another important step forward for Siddhant Banthia and Arjun Kadhe. Victories over quality international opposition, resilience in pressure situations and a place in the final underline the progress the Indian duo has made as a partnership.

With several Challenger events still to come this season, they will aim to convert deep tournament runs into titles while continuing to climb the ATP doubles rankings.

If they can maintain the level displayed in Milan, Banthia and Kadhe have every opportunity to establish themselves as one of India's leading doubles combinations and become regular contenders on the ATP Challenger circuit.