A wave of raw emotion swept across the SM Krishna tennis stadium in Bengaluru on Monday as 18-year-old Indian wildcard Manas Dhamne secured the most significant victory of his young career. The World No. 556 produced a stunning performance to topple fifth seed and World No. 231 Matej Dodig of Croatia in a gripping three-set encounter at the Bengaluru Open ATP 125 Challenger.
A Milestone Victory for the Young Indian
After a grueling battle lasting two hours and five minutes, Dhamne sealed a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 win over an opponent ranked 325 places above him. The moment of triumph saw the Pune teenager turn towards his Italian coach, Luca Vanni, in the stands, pumping his fists and unleashing a roar of celebration. This marks Dhamne's first-ever victory over a player inside the ATP top-250, a monumental step in his professional journey.
"This is the biggest win of my career," an elated Dhamne stated post-match, after a 20-minute debrief with his coach. "It is a great way to start the year. More than the win, I was happy with the way I played. There is always scope for improvement, but I am on the right track. This (victory) is a confidence booster. I will try to maintain this level of tennis in the upcoming matches as well."
Decoding the Thrilling Three-Set Battle
The opening set was a tightly contested affair with both players holding strong serves. Dodig fired six aces, but the momentum shifted in the crucial 12th game. The 20-year-old Croat committed three double faults, handing Dhamne a critical break of serve to claim the first set. A visibly frustrated Dodig smashed his racquet in response.
Regaining composure, Dodig broke Dhamne's serve in the fifth game of the second set to level the match and force a decider. However, the final set witnessed a spectacular turnaround. Dhamne, showcasing a potent backhand, shifted gears. He adapted his return strategy as Dodig's first-serve dominance waned.
"I tried something different (in the third set)," Dhamne explained. "He also started to miss some of his first serves. I changed my position on the return, sometimes trying to step in, sometimes stepping back and it worked." The tactical change paid rich dividends. Dhamne aggressively targeted the second serve, causing Dodig to make errors on his groundstrokes. Breaks in the fourth and sixth games of the third set sealed a famous win for the Indian youngster.
Nagal Marches On as Clarke Falls
In other first-round action, India's top-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, made a confident start. He cruised past local talent SD Prajwal Dev with a straight-sets 6-3, 6-3 victory in one hour and 18 minutes to advance to the second round.
The tournament witnessed another upset as third seed Jay Clarke of Great Britain was ousted. France's Matteo Martineau fought back from a set down to defeat Clarke 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a match lasting two hours and 16 minutes. Second seed Harold Mayot of France also progressed comfortably, defeating Petr Bar Biryukov 6-1, 6-4.
Select Round of 32 Results:
- Manas Dhamne (Ind) bt 5-Matej Dodig (Cro) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
- Sumit Nagal (Ind) bt Prajwal Dev (Ind) 6-3, 6-3
- Matteo Martineau (Fra) bt 3-Jay Clarke (GBR) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
- 2-Harold Mayot (Fra) bt Petr Bar Biryukov 6-1, 6-4
