As the European clay season gathers momentum, a trio of Indian players Manas, Mukund and Karan Singh step onto three very different stages across the Challenger and ITF circuits today.
From Skopje to Tbilisi and Tehran, Indian tennis fans have plenty to keep an eye on with Manas Dhamne, Mukund Sasikumar, and Karan Singh all in action. Here’s a deep dive into their matchups and form heading into today’s clashes.
🎾 Andrej Martin vs Manas Dhamne
📍 Skopje Challenger – Qualifying Round 1
🕑 2:00 PM IST | Live on Challenger TV
Editor’s Pick: Manas Dhamne
The 17-year-old Indian prodigy Manas Dhamne continues to build his resume on the clay circuit, and despite a setback last week in Reggio Emilia, he’s shown solid all-round development this season.
His losses have largely come down to physical fatigue more than technical deficiencies. That being said, there are concerns about how fresh he’ll be today.
His opponent, Andrej Martin, brings experience and a strong record in Challengers—highlighted by a finals run from the qualifiers in Kigali. But post that impressive run, Martin has nosedived in form.
Losses to lower-ranked players and an uninspiring defeat to Gakhov in Italy reflect the Slovak’s drop in confidence and sharpness. His game still features a solid serve and decent groundstrokes, but he lacks rhythm and baseline consistency. His backhand, while serviceable, lacks bite, and he’s often passive in crucial moments.
Given Martin’s poor form and Dhamne’s all-court capability—even if not physically at 100%—this is a winnable match for the Indian teenager.
Dhamne has a more precise and energetic baseline game and, if he manages to stay physically engaged, he could pull off a quality win.
Prediction: Dhamne in three sets
🎾 Mukund Sasikumar vs Martin Damm Jr
📍 Tbilisi Challenger – Qualifying Round 1
🕓 4:30 PM IST | Live on Challenger TV
Editor’s Pick: Martin Damm Jr
It’s been a quiet return to competition for Mukund Sasikumar, who recently made a semifinal run in Baotou after a two-month break. His clay form has been encouraging, but with limited match exposure and questions around his conditioning and adaptability to faster clay conditions, today’s task won’t be easy.
On the other side is Martin Damm Jr, a big-serving American who just made the Tbilisi final, losing to Liam Broady in a tight contest. He has acclimatised well to Georgian conditions and has been dictating rallies with his powerful first serve and heavy forehand.
His backhand can be inconsistent under pressure, but he’s compensated for it with aggression and solid movement on clay.
The Tbilisi courts have favoured players with attacking weapons, and Mukund’s past issues against bigger servers might surface again. While Mukund’s return game has improved, his margin for error is low against a player already well-embedded in local conditions.
Prediction: Damm Jr in straight sets
🎾 Karan Singh vs Aleksandr Lobanov
📍 M15 Tehran – Final
🕠 5:30 PM IST
Editor’s Pick: Karan Singh
Karan Singh is knocking on the door of his first professional singles title, and few would argue against his credentials heading into this M15 final in Tehran. The 21-year-old has bounced back from a tough loss to Ali Yazdani in last week’s final, showing impressive resilience and tactical maturity.
His decision to withdraw from doubles mid-tournament due to a medical timeout now looks like a smart move—it allowed him to refocus on singles, where he’s beaten quality clay players en route to today’s final.
His opponent, Aleksandr Lobanov, is coming off an emotional three-set win over Yazdani but has had a largely forgettable season.
Despite his upset win yesterday, Lobanov has barely scraped through matches against players outside the top 1000 and has a career win-loss record that reflects long-term inconsistency.
His one-handed backhand is vulnerable, and he lacks the defensive stability needed against someone like Karan, who can prolong rallies and dominate with his physical edge.
Karan’s game is built for clay—heavy topspin forehand, solid movement, and reliable shot selection. Unless nerves get in the way, this match is his to lose.
Winning here would not only secure his first pro title but also provide a launching pad into more competitive Futures and Challenger events later this year.
Prediction: Karan Singh in straight sets
India’s tennis hopefuls are spread far and wide today, and each match brings its own significance. For Manas, it’s about continuing momentum. For Mukund, it’s a test of progress. And for Karan, it’s a shot at rewriting his career trajectory.
Stay tuned on Challenger TV for live coverage and follow all results and updates via the IndiaSportsHub App.
