Manas Dhamne's maiden ATP Challenger final run builds confidence and consistency: 'I'm getting there'

Indian tennis hasn't had some of the best times in singles recently, but a glimmer of hope has arrived with Manas Dhamane reaching his maiden ATP Challenger final in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, last weekend. 

The 18‑year‑old Indian tennis prospect gave a tough fight to Belgium's Buvaysar Gadamauri in a closely-fought final that went over two hours and in which the results could have favoured anyone.

A week of resilience and growth for Manas

But while Dhamane showed unmatched resilience against Gadamauri on clay, unforced errors and missed break points pushed the win out of his hands. The Satara-born Dhamne, who trains at the Piatti Tennis Center in Italy, eventually lost 6-7(8), 4-6.

Dhamane, however, reflected positively on his recent week, saying it boosted his confidence, helped him identify areas for improvement and will aid his growth as a player.

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"Yes, for sure. This week gives me a lot of confidence. Really positive week. I will try to take the learnings and hope to execute them in the next tournaments I play. Yeah, nothing much to say. It's just, I mean, good week, good week for confidence-wise as well, and to understand what I need to keep improving in my tennis," Dhamane said while responding to Firstpost during a virtual media interaction.

Confident Dhamane confidently on his path

Manas also assessed his existing level of play and identified the extra effort needed to surpass it and stay ahead of the competition. He acknowledged that while his desired competitive level isn't far beyond reach, the real challenge lies in maintaining consistency, finding ways to win in tough matches and having patience to aid his growth.

"I don't think the level is too far. It's just how to keep the level consistent and then how to also find a way to win matches. Sometimes when it's getting tough, I feel this is the thing that they do so much better, like finding solutions or finding ways to win matches.

"And I think I'm getting there. I'm on the right track. I just need to keep improving the same things, and I feel I'm on the right direction. I just need my own time," Manas further said.

To stay on the right track, Manas has no plans to slow. He has two key tests lined up: the ITF M25 in Santa Margherita di Pula on clay and the ATP Challenger in Oeiras. And he would hope to replicate the Shymkent success soon.