MANAMA, Bahrain, Jan. 27 – India’s rising tennis sensation Manas Dhamne has officially punched his ticket to the main draw of the ATP 125 Manama Challenger. In a gritty final qualifying round on Tuesday, the 18-year-old overcame Norway’s Viktor Durasovic (ATP 329) in a grueling 2 hour and 42 minute battle, winning 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-3.
The victory marks Dhamne’s 6th best career win by opponent ranking. Manas is currently the 2nd youngest player in the ATP Top 500 after Diego Dedura from Germany.
Match Highlights: A Test of Nerves
Dhamne, currently ranked ATP 502, faced multiple moments where the match seemed to be slipping away, but his mental fortitude proved decisive:
- Tiebreak Heroics: Trailing 0-3 in the first-set tiebreak, Dhamne clawed his way back. He later saved two set points at 4-6 before reeling off four straight points to steal the set.
- The Comeback Kid: Early in the match, Dhamne fought back from a break down at 3-4 in the first set to force that pivotal tiebreak.
- Decisive Third Set: After Durasovic leveled the match in the second, Dhamne shifted gears in the decider, breaking the Norwegian’s serve twice to seal the win.
Giant-Killing Week in Manama
This qualification wasn’t just about one match; it was the culmination of a “giant-killing” qualifying campaign. In the opening round, Dhamne scored the 2nd biggest win of his career by upsetting the qualifying top seed, Benjamin Hassan (ATP 259), in another long three-set tussle (6-7, 6-4, 6-3).
Dhamne enters the main draw with massive momentum, fresh off a breakout quarterfinal run at the Bengaluru Open earlier this month. As he moves into the tournament main draw, the young Indian is proving that his sub-500 ranking is no longer an accurate reflection of his elite-level potential.