New Delhi: Manas Dhamane has things moving in a linear pace for him. Winning an M15 tournament in Zahra, Kuwait in February. Wild cards into the qualifying rounds of the Miami Open and Madrid Open. And ATP challengers rise as they try to overcome major obstacles. During this trip around the world, he got IMG Tennis to represent him. Coaches from the renowned Piatti Tennis Center to sharpen your game and physical prowess; But, most importantly, a steady and determined head on his shoulders.“I think I’m lucky, you know I have a great team around me. Great coach, great manager, my family too. They never say anything about tennis,” Dhamane said in a virtual media interaction.
“They let the coaches do what they have to do and they try to help me emotionally from the outside. So it’s just, I’m very fortunate to have a great team and family to raise me like that.”Those were very composed words for someone who had lost his first ATP Challenger final in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, just hours earlier. The 18-year-old finished runner-up after losing to Belgium’s Bouviser Gadamori 6-7, 4-6.The latest run took him to world No. 384, climbing 60 places in the ladder, and becoming the second-highest men’s singles player for India (behind Sumit Nagal who is world No. 276).
Manas Dhamane (Special Arrangements)
On the court, he, and the rest of the pack, had a tough time battling a variety of situations. The rain and wind of the semi-finals replaced perfect weather for the final. However, the result was different from what he had hoped for. Still, Dhamane took confidence from his first run at the ATP Challenger tournament. Before that, his best showing was making the quarterfinals in Pune and Bengaluru earlier this year.“This week gives me a lot of confidence. A really positive week. And I will try to learn and I hope to carry it out in the next tournaments that I play,” said Dhamane, with next assignments the ITF M25 in Santa Margherita di Pola (Italy) and then the ATP Challenger in Oeiras (Portugal).
Manas Dhamane (Special Arrangements)
What are the next obvious steps in Dhamane’s journey?“I would say the most important thing is fitness because I mean, it’s also kind of natural that as you get older, especially in those teenage years, it’s going to come a little bit more naturally, but at the same time you’re doing a lot,” Dhamane concluded.“And tennis-wise, I think it’s the same kind of tennis, but it’s just that I’m doing the same things better, the execution is better. I’m more aggressive, trying to be more motivated, trying to take more shots. But I still feel like tennis should be the same. I don’t need to change things. And just try to use it better, and know how to do it better. When to use it and use it. How to use in match“And I feel like I have to keep pushing myself to go further and be more aggressive, to keep doing the same things better and better.”
