Jha Sets Up Quarterfinal Clash with World No. 20 Simon Gauzy

Another win for Kanak Jha at WTT Contender Skopje has propelled him into the men’s singles quarterfinals. Jha moved past Portugal’s Marcos Freitas 3-1 (9-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-7) inside Sports Center Jane Sandanski.

On Day 2 of the main draw, Jha had only one obstacle to reach his first WTT Contender quarterfinal of the year. That was Freitas.

The second game proved to be the turning point of the match. After a tight first game, Jha flipped the script. Opening with a 3-0 lead, he conceded one point to Freitas before reeling off eight consecutive points to knot things up at one game apiece.

Jha continued to be aggressive with his serves while routinely going after his opponent’s backhand throughout the remainder of the match. Games three and four were more competitive, but even when Freitas knew what was coming, he struggled to counter Jha’s aggressive attack. Jha thwarted the lefty in four games.

Jha will face World No. 20 Simon Gauzy of France in the men’s singles quarterfinals tomorrow at 6:10 a.m. ET / 3:10 a.m. PT on Table 1 at WTT Contender Skopje 2026 – Watch Live.

In their most recent matchup, Jha defeated Gauzy in the Round of 32 at the WTT Champions Yokohama 2025, igniting his run to reach the semifinals.

Gauzy is known for his touch play and creative shot-making. Jha will look to effectively neutralize him by containing him in a more structured and error-free game.

The winner will advance to play Denmark’s Anders Lind (1) or Japan’s Hiroto Shinozuka (8) in the semifinals.