Pune’s fairytale run through the singles draw came to a heartbreaking halt on Friday evening as 18-year-old wildcard Manas Dhamne fell to Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic in a gripping quarterfinal at the PMRDA Powered MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75.
Yet, even as Dhamne bowed out after squandering two match points, Indian interest remained alive in the doubles draw, with Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha progressing to the final alongside Thailand’s Pruchya Isaro.
Played at the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul in Mhalunge Balewadi, the quarterfinal contest between Dhamne and Ajdukovic lasted 2 hours and 16 minutes and delivered high-quality baseline exchanges, momentum swings and late-set drama. Ajdukovic, ranked 346 and five years older than the Indian teenager, eventually prevailed 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4 to secure his semifinal berth.
Dhamne Pushes the Edge
The opening set belonged to Dhamne. After Ajdukovic struck first with an early break in the third game, the young Indian responded immediately, leveling at 2-2 with fearless returning. Dhamne raised his aggression notably in the sixth game, stepping inside the baseline to dictate rallies and earning another break. Serving confidently under pressure, he closed out the set 6-3, drawing loud applause from the home crowd.
The second set saw Dhamne continue with authority. A break in the third game handed him a 2-1 lead, and his court coverage forced Ajdukovic into extended rallies. However, the Croatian’s resilience surfaced in the eighth game when he broke back to restore parity. With neither player willing to yield ground, the set moved into a tense tie-break.
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The tie-break proved decisive. Dhamne had opportunities including two match points but Ajdukovic held firm, producing clutch first serves and aggressive forehands to edge it 8-6. That momentum shift altered the trajectory of the contest.
In the deciding set, Ajdukovic broke in the opening game and consolidated behind strong serving. Dhamne responded with a break in the fourth game, reigniting hopes of a comeback. But the Croatian’s shot selection under pressure was clinical. A crucial break in the seventh game tilted the match irreversibly, and Ajdukovic sealed the contest 6-4.
For Dhamne, the defeat was painful but underscored his rapid development. As a wildcard entrant, he had already exceeded expectations by reaching the quarterfinals of a Challenger 75 event. His composure across long rallies and willingness to dictate play suggest maturity beyond his years. The experience of converting tight matches at this level will be the next step in his progression.
Ajdukovic will be joined in the semifinals by eighth seed Edas Butvilas, Britain’s Felix Gill and sixth seed Federico Cina. Butvilas delivered a composed 6-3, 6-3 win over Japanese qualifier Masamichi Imamura in 81 minutes. The Lithuanian controlled baseline exchanges from the outset, minimizing unforced errors and keeping Imamura pinned deep behind the baseline.
Felix Gill produced one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the day. After losing the opening set 0-6 to Poland’s Maks Kasnikowski, Gill regrouped tactically. He tightened his first-serve percentage and varied his pace effectively to claim the second set in a tie-break before dominating the decider 6-1. The 2-hour 5-minute battle showcased his resilience and adaptability.
Federico Cina, meanwhile, maintained efficiency in dispatching Alastair Gray 6-4, 6-2. The Italian controlled net approaches and dictated tempo from the baseline, rarely allowing Gray to settle into rhythm.
The semifinal stage now features a mix of seeds and unseeded challengers, setting up competitive matchups as the tournament heads into its final weekend.
Poonacha Keeps Indian Hopes Alive
While singles dreams ended for the home contingent, doubles offered reason for optimism. The Indo-Thai pairing of Pruchya Isaro and second seed Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha produced a strong performance to defeat third seeds Yuta Shimizu and Seita Watanabe 7-5, 7-6(4) in the semifinal.
The match was defined by tight service games and quick exchanges at the net. Isaro and Poonacha displayed superior coordination in decisive moments, particularly in the second-set tie-break where their aggressive poaching unsettled the Japanese duo. For Poonacha, the run to the final reinforces his growing stature on the Challenger doubles circuit. His net positioning and serve placement were particularly effective in closing out crucial games.
In the other semifinal, fourth seeds Jisung Nam and Patrik Niklas-Salminen upset top seeds Siddhant Banthia and Alexander Donski 6-2, 6-4. The Korean-Finnish pair controlled baseline exchanges early and maintained scoreboard pressure throughout.
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The quarterfinal day highlighted the fine margins at the Challenger level. Dhamne’s two missed match points, Gill’s recovery from a 0-6 set, and consecutive tie-breaks in the doubles semifinal all underline how momentum swings determine outcomes at this tier.
For Pune’s tennis followers, Dhamne’s campaign will remain a defining storyline. At 18, he demonstrated the capacity to compete against seasoned professionals ranked significantly higher. The challenge ahead lies in converting such tight encounters and sustaining consistency across tournaments.
As the MahaOpen moves into its semifinal and final rounds, the singles title remains wide open. Meanwhile, Indian hopes rest on Poonacha in the doubles final, offering a final opportunity for home representation on championship day. The tournament has already delivered drama, upsets and emerging narratives. The closing stages now promise a fitting culmination to a week of high-intensity tennis in Pune.
