Chennai: Indians Prakash Amritraj, Karan Rastogi and up-and-coming Spaniard Bartolome Salva Vidal have been granted wild cards in the main draw of the Chennai Open beginning at the Nungambakkam Stadium on January 1.

Besides Amritraj and Rastogi in singles, Vishal Uppal and Ashutosh Singh received wild cards for the doubles main draw.

According to a release, AITA secretary Anil Khanna, confirming the Indian names, expressed confidence that “Prakash and Karan will provide Indian tennis the much needed boost in the years to come.”

Amritraj, who was frequently injured this season, was runner-up with Rohan Bopanna in last year’s Chennai Open doubles event. Bopanna, who will be representing the country in the Hopman Cup with Sania Mirza Down Under, won’t be playing the Chennai Open.

Rastogi — who got singles wild cards in 2004 and 2005, and doubles wild card in the last edition — won the ABN Amro Challenge tournament the last two years beating key players including Simon Gruel.

Vidal, a 20-year-old six-footer from Mallorca — the home town of Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal — rose from world No. 450 at the start of the year to 353. He won a Futures title in Vilafrance and was runner-up at four other tournaments this year. (PTI)