India’s promising tennis talent Manas Dhamne fell short in a nail-biting three-set contest against Italy’s Stefano Travaglia in the second qualifying round of the ATP 75 Francavilla al Mare tournament on Monday.
Despite a valiant comeback effort that saw him leading 4-2 with a break in the deciding set, Dhamne ultimately lost 3-6, 7-6(3), 4-6 in an epic battle that lasted 2 hours and 53 minutes.
The young Indian had made waves in the first qualifying round with an impressive straight-sets victory over former French Open semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato of Italy, dispatching the experienced home favorite 6-4, 6-4.
This notable win set up his encounter with Travaglia, where Dhamne showed fought back by recovering from a set down before cramps derailed his momentum.
It was a disappointing day overall for Indian players at the tournament, with several others exiting in the opening qualification round.
Siddhant Banthia was unable to overcome Portugal’s Tiago Pereira, losing 4-6, 3-6, while Adil Kalyanpur suffered a more comprehensive defeat against Italy’s Jacopo Berrettini, managing to win just one game in a 0-6, 1-6 loss.
Despite the setbacks, Dhamne’s performance against established professionals signals his emerging potential on the international tennis circuit, particularly his ability to challenge a French Open semi-finalist and nearly upset another experienced Italian player.