Pune, Feb 25 (NationPress) Local star Manas Dhamne continued his impressive performance at the Maha Open ATP Challenger 75 men's tennis Championship, advancing to the men’s singles quarterfinals at the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul, Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium on Wednesday.

Other unseeded competitors, including Duje Ajduković from Croatia, Alastair Gray from Great Britain, and sixth-seeded Federico Cina from Italy, also reached the quarterfinals.

The Indian wildcard Manas Dhamne delighted the home fans by defeating former top-50 player Ilya Ivashka, who retired while behind 3-6. Dhamne showcased his confidence and skill, executing clean shots from the backcourt before Ivashka withdrew due to injury. Manas is set to face Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Unseeded Duje Ajdukovic put forth a commanding performance, defeating fifth seed Frederico Ferreira Silva of Portugal with a score of 6-2, 6-2. Ajduković controlled the match from the baseline, breaking early in both sets and preventing Silva from gaining momentum.

Britain’s Alastair Gray produced one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, rallying from a set down to surprise third seed Ilia Simakin with a final score of 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 in a 2 hour 50 minutes battle. After losing the first set, Gray elevated his game, narrowly winning a tense second-set tie-break and maintaining composure in the deciding set.

Sixth seed Federico Cina of Italy continued his stellar performance with a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Yuta Shimizu, winning 6-1, 6-4. Cina was sharp on his serve and aggressive in his returns, dominating rallies and wrapping up the match in just over an hour.

In the doubles first round, top seeds Siddhant Banthia (India) and Alexander Donski (Bulgaria) faced a tough challenge in the first set but ultimately triumphed over Luca Castelnuovo (Switzerland) and Uisung Park (Korea) with a score of 7-6(5), 6-2. After clinching a closely contested tie-break, the top duo surged ahead in the second set to secure the win.

Indian wildcards Saketh Myneni and Digvijaypratap Singh delivered an impressive performance, defeating Japan’s Masamichi Imamura and Kokoro Isomura with a score of 6-3, 6-3, showcasing their sharp net play and effective teamwork. Jay Clarke (Great Britain) and Michael Geerts (Belgium) also achieved a solid 6-3, 6-4 victory over the Japanese pair Takuya Kumasaka and Rio Noguchi.

Ryuki Matsuda (Japan) and Ilia Simakin narrowly overcame Aryan Lakshmanan (India) and Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong (Malaysia) with a score of 7-6(3), 7-5 in a tightly contested match determined by vital mini-breaks and crucial late-set moments.

As the quarterfinal lineup takes shape, the stage is set for thrilling matches as the competition for the ATP Challenger 75 title heats up in Pune. The event will feature India No. 1 Sumit Nagal in action on Thursday at 2pm.