Indian teenager Manas Dhamne advanced to the first ATP Challenger final of his career with a commanding straight-sets win at the Shymkent Challenger in Shymkent.
The 18-year-old defeated France’s Antoine Ghibaudo 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-final, producing one of the most composed performances of his young career. Entering the tournament ranked world No. 444, Dhamne overcame a higher-ranked opponent to reach the biggest final of his professional journey so far.
The result ensures a significant jump in rankings, with Dhamne set to break into the ATP Top 400 for the first time, moving to around world No. 384. He also becomes the first Indian since Sumit Nagal in 2024 to reach a Challenger-level final.
After a difficult opening-round match, he produced dominant wins over experienced opponents, including a convincing victory against former top-150 player Gijs Brouwer in the Round of 16, before progressing through the quarter-finals.
His ability to adapt to high-altitude conditions and maintain consistency has been a notable feature of his campaign.
Dhamne will now face Belgium’s Buvaysar Gadamauri in the final as he looks to secure his first ATP Challenger title, in what already stands as a breakthrough week for Indian tennis.
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