Bengaluru Open | Dhamne makes heads turn with an upset win over Dodig

Highly rated teenager Manas Dhamne registered his first win over a top-250 player when he beat Croatia’s Matej Dodig 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 in the opening round of the Dafa News Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger 125 at the S.M. Krishna Stadium here on Monday.

The victory over the World No. 231 was only Dhamne’s second match-win on the Challenger Tour, the earlier one coming in June 2025 in Brasov, Romania. So important was the success that the moment Dodig’s return sailed long on match-point, the 18-year-old World No. 556 reached for his phone, and an Instagram post of him fist pumping went up in no time.

On court, Dhamne exhibited the same youthful exuberance. He served well – winning 78% on the first-serve and 63% on the second – drove his backhand powerfully and was solid from the forehand wing.

Dodig, 20 and the fifth seed here, had two inches on Dhamne (6’2” to 6’0”) and planted 12 aces to his opponent’s three, but some erratic play in the 12th game cost him the first set. He hit two aces and a service winner but also three double-faults, before Dhamne took it 7-5 when a groundstroke went wide.

In the second stanza, the Croat stabilised, broke to 3-2 and held on for a 6-4 scoreline to level matters.

It was, however, creditable that Dhamne did not feel unsettled despite playing someone who had 39 more match-wins.

The Indian broke in the fourth and sixth games of the decider, capitalising on a series of unforced errors. The set lasted just over half an hour, compared to the two nearly 50-minute affairs that preceded it. And that told the story. “More than the win, I am happy for the other things, like the way I played,” Dhamne said. “I have to improve, but feel I am on the right track.”

Third seed Jay Clarke and fourth seed Lloyd Harris were knocked out.

Other results: First round: Sumit Nagal bt S.D. Prajwal Dev 6-3, 6-3; Harold Mayot (Fra) bt Petr Bar Biryukov (Rus) 6-1, 6-4; Matteo Martineau bt Jay Clarke 4-6, 6-1, 6-2; Jonas Forejtek (Cze) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 7-6(5), 6-4; Timofey Skatov (Kaz) bt Neil Oberleitner (Aut) 6-3, 6-3; Dan Martin (Can) bt Vladyslav Orlov (Ukr) 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4.

Qualifying final round: Alexis Gautier (Fra) bt Sidharth Rawat 6-4, 6-4.