Pune, February 27 Manas Dhamne's sensational run at the Maha Open ATP Challenger 75 Men's Tennis Championship came to an end here on Friday after he lost to Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles quarterfinals.
The 18-year-old squandered two match points in a tense battle, in which Ajdukovic, currently ranked 346, won 3-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4. The match lasted two hours and 16 minutes.
In the opening set, both players engaged in fierce baseline exchanges. Ajdukovic broke Dhamne in the third game, but Dhamne immediately responded to level at 2-2.
The young Indian then took control in the sixth game, winning aggressive returns to snatch another break before confidently winning the set 6-3.
Dhamne continued his momentum in the second set, breaking Ajdukovic in the third game for a 2-1 lead. However, Ajdukovic mounted a determined comeback, breaking back in the eighth game to level.
With neither player giving an inch, the set went into a tense tie-break. Ajdukovic won it 7-6 (8) to restore parity.
In the deciding set, Ajdukovic came out firing, breaking Dhamne in the very first game and consolidating with strong serves. Dhamne fought back bravely, winning a break in the fourth game to keep his hopes alive.
However, Ajdukovic's aggressive shot-making and clutch serving proved decisive as he secured another break in the seventh game and won the set 6-4, securing his semifinal berth.
Eighth seed Edas Butvilas of Lithuania delivered a composed 6-3, 6-3 win over qualifier Masamichi Imamura of Japan in one hour and 21 minutes.
Meanwhile, Felix Gill of Britain scripted a remarkable turnaround to defeat qualifier Maks Kasnikowski of Poland 0-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 in an exciting battle that lasted two hours and five minutes.
Sixth seed Federico Cina of Italy was in control during his 6-4, 6-2 victory over Britain's Alastair Gray to confirm his spot in the semifinals.
In the doubles semifinal, the Indo-Thai combination of Pruchya Isaro and second seed Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha defeated the third-seeded Japanese pair of Yuta Shimizu and Seita Watanabe 7-5, 7-6 (4) to enter the final.
Top seeds Siddhant Banthia and Alexander Donski were defeated by the fourth seeded pairing of Jisung Nam and Patrik Niklas-Salminen in the second semifinal.
