Indian teenager Manas Dhamne will face eighth seed Rio Noguchi in the opening round of the ATP Delhi Open 2026 as the sixth edition of the ATP Challenger 75 event returns to the DLTA Complex from February 16 to 22.
The tournament features a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles field, offering valuable ranking points and competitive opportunities on home soil.
Dhamne, regarded as one of India’s most promising young prospects, enters the event on the back of steady progress on the professional circuit. The 17-year-old broke into the ATP Top 500 for the first time in January and claimed his third ITF singles title earlier this month. His first-round opponent, Noguchi, is ranked No. 246 in the world and is a two-time ATP Challenger singles champion. The Japanese player also lifted the doubles title in Delhi last year, underlining his comfort at the venue.
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For Dhamne, the matchup represents a significant test of his readiness to compete consistently at Challenger level. Noguchi’s experience and ability to manage tempo in longer rallies will challenge the Indian teenager’s shot-making and tactical discipline.
India No. 1 Sumit Nagal will also headline the home challenge in singles. Fresh from being part of India’s Davis Cup victory over the Netherlands in Bengaluru, Nagal opens his campaign against Spain’s David Jorda Sanchis. Nagal’s return to Delhi will attract considerable local interest, given his status as India’s leading singles player.
Elsewhere in the main draw, Karan Singh faces seventh seed Daniel Michalski of Poland, while Digvijay Singh will take on Petr Bar Biryukov. The singles field is led by Australian Dane Sweeny, ranked No. 138, and Japan’s Rei Sakamoto, ranked No. 174, who enter as the top two seeds.
The qualifying draw, which begins this weekend, features 24 players including nine Indians. Davis Cupper Ramkumar Ramanathan is among those seeking a main-draw berth. The qualifying competition is led by Denis Yevseyev, ranked No. 362, and includes former Australian Open semi-finalist Hyeon Chung of Korea. Main draw matches begin on Monday, February 16.
Strong Doubles Field
The doubles competition promises to be equally compelling. Top seeds Siddhant Banthia of India and Alexander Donski of Bulgaria lead the field. They will begin their campaign against Francis Casey Alcantara of the Philippines and Zimbabwe’s Courtney Lock.
Second seeds Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Pruchya Isaro arrive in Delhi in strong form after capturing the Chennai Open ATP Challenger doubles title earlier this week. The Indo-Thai pair, who made their Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open last month, will face S.D. Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha in a rematch of their Chennai Open semi-final.
Poonacha has a history in Delhi as well, having finished runner-up at the 2025 edition alongside Jonny Lock. Their recent success makes them one of the pairs to watch this week.
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The fourth-seeded all-Indian team of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Ramkumar Ramanathan will open against Jay Clarke of Great Britain and Michael Geerts of Belgium. Meanwhile, two Indian wildcard teams have also been handed main draw entries. Divij Sharan and Karan Singh will take on Dimitar Kuzmanov and Denis Yevseyev, while Saketh Myneni and Digvijay Singh face Adil Kalyanpur and Daniel Michalski.
Noguchi, last year’s doubles champion, returns to defend his title, this time partnering Switzerland’s Luca Castelnuovo.
Speaking after the draw, Rohit Rajpal, President of the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association, emphasised the tournament’s importance for Indian players.
“Events like the ATP Delhi Open give Indian players a genuine platform to test themselves against strong international competition and earn valuable ranking points at home. We’re excited to see young talents like Manas Dhamne, Karan Singh and others compete on this stage,” Rajpal said.
The tournament has a strong domestic legacy. In doubles, all-Indian pairs have lifted the trophy twice, while in singles, Somdev Devvarman remains the only Indian champion, having won consecutive titles in 2014 and 2015.
As part of the ATP Challenger 75 series, the singles and doubles champions will earn 75 ranking points. The singles winner receives $17,000 in prize money, while the doubles champions split $4,980.
With established names, emerging Indian talent, and a competitive international field, the 2026 edition of the Delhi Open once again positions itself as a critical stop on the Challenger circuit and a valuable proving ground for India’s next generation.
