Seventeen-year-old Indian tennis prospect Manas Dhamne pulled off arguably the biggest win of his young career, defeating former World No. 93 Andrej Martin in straight sets, 7-6(6), 6-0, in the opening round of the ATP Skopje Challenger qualifying draw.
The performance not only marks a career-best win in terms of opponent ranking (Martin is currently WR #324), but also sends a clear signal about Dhamne’s potential on the professional circuit.
From Survival to Supremacy
The match started on a knife’s edge, with Martin using his experience and baseline consistency to apply early pressure. The Slovakian, a clay-court veteran who reached the final in Kigali earlier this year, carved out five set points in a tense opening set.
But Dhamne, showing maturity well beyond his years, stayed calm under pressure and saved all of them. He eventually clinched the tiebreak 8-6, flipping the momentum completely.
What followed in the second set was nothing short of domination. Dhamne raced through the set 6-0, overwhelming Martin from the baseline with heavy topspin, relentless court coverage, and deep returns that pinned the Slovak far behind the baseline. Martin, who has been battling form and fitness issues since his strong African swing, had no answers.
Indeed, his baseline dominance, smart shot selection, and high first-serve percentage were key factors. Unlike his previous match in Reggio Emilia, where he appeared physically drained in a disappointing loss to Germany’s Marcel Zielinski-Schlageter, Dhamne looked sharp and resilient throughout in Skopje.
Martin’s Form Continues to Dip
For Andrej Martin, the loss adds to a growing string of setbacks in 2025. After a resurgent run to the final in Kigali Challenger in March, where he came through qualifying and beat some strong names, Martin has faltered. He suffered early exits in multiple Italian Challengers, including a notable loss to Ivan Gakhov.
While his game remains solid technically, his recent matches indicate a decline in endurance and sharpness—possibly related to fitness concerns.
This latest defeat to a teenager ranked outside the top 800 will be especially hard to digest for the Slovak, who turns 36 later this year.
Clay Season Stepping Stones for Dhamne
While Dhamne’s clay-court season hasn’t produced deep runs yet, it has featured plenty of positive moments. He’s picked up confidence-boosting wins over higher-ranked opponents, though physical struggles—likely due to the grind of transition from juniors to pros—have held him back. The loss in Reggio Emilia last week was a setback, but today’s result shows he’s learning and adapting quickly.
The mental toughness displayed in saving five set points against a seasoned campaigner like Martin is a clear indication that Dhamne is building the grit required at the Challenger level.
Next Up: Final Qualifying Round
Dhamne now advances to the final qualifying round, where he’ll face the winner of the match between Matthew Dellavedova (AUS) and Jan Krumich (CZE).
Both are solid clay players and ranked higher than Dhamne, but with confidence and form on his side, the Indian teen will back himself to make his first main draw appearance at a Challenger this year.
What This Means for Indian Tennis
This win could serve as a turning point not just for Dhamne but also for Indian men’s tennis, which has been in search of a breakout star in the post-Ramanathan/Balaji era. With Sumit Nagal firmly established inside the top 150, the next challenge is to build depth. Manas Dhamne, along with players like Aryan Shah and Karan Singh, is part of that next wave.
If Dhamne can translate this momentum into a main draw win, it will be another step toward becoming a regular on the ATP Challenger Tour.
IndiaSportsHub will be tracking Dhamne’s progress at the Skopje Challenger closely. Stay tuned for more updates as Indian tennis continues its quiet surge through the ranks.
