Manas Dhamne, a 17-year-old tennis prodigy, alongside experienced players Ramkumar Ramanathan and SD Prajwal Dev, has received wild card entries for the 2025 Bengaluru Open singles main draw, scheduled from February 24 to March 2 at KSLTA, Cubbon Park. Dhamne, notable for his recent M15 Monastir win, is the youngest to achieve significant milestones in junior and ATP matches. Ramanathan and Prajwal Dev bring valuable experience, with multiple titles and career highlights. The doubles event features 16 teams, showcasing India’s strong tennis legacy, including top pairs like Anirudh Chandrasekar with Ray Ho, and past champions Myneni and Ramanathan.
Seventeen-year-old Indian sensation Manas Dhamne, along with experienced players Ramkumar Ramanathan and SD Prajwal Dev, have been granted wild card entries into the singles main draw of the 2025 Bengaluru Open. This ATP Challenger 125 event is set to make a thrilling comeback in its ninth edition at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) courts in Cubbon Park from February 24 to March 2. Additionally, Kriish Tyagi and Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha will participate in the qualifying rounds as wild cards, aiming to secure places in the main draw, according to a press release from KSLTA.
Dhamne, recognized as one of India’s most promising young talents, has been competing on the circuit for two years and recently won his first major title at the M15 Monastir in Tunisia. This young prodigy has already made history by being the youngest player to win a first-round match at the junior Australian Open and the youngest to compete in a main-draw ATP Tour match in 2023.
On the other hand, Prajwal Dev and Ramanathan bring invaluable experience to the tournament. Ramanathan, a staple of India’s Davis Cup team since 2009, is a familiar face at the Bengaluru Open, boasting three doubles titles in his growing collection of trophies. Prajwal Dev has held an ATP ranking since 2015, competing in both singles and doubles throughout his career, with accolades that include one ATP Challenger doubles title and multiple ITF doubles titles, accounting for four wins in 2024 alone.
Commenting on the event, Tournament Director Sunil Yajman stated: “The Bengaluru Open has consistently provided a vital platform for Indian players to compete at high levels, and this year is no exception. Manas Dhamne’s swift rise is thrilling for Indian tennis, while Ramkumar and Prajwal Dev add significant experience to the mix. We eagerly anticipate the performances of our wild card entrants in this competition.”
In addition, the Bengaluru Open doubles event will comprise 16 teams, featuring 10 direct entries, four on-site acceptances, and two wild cards. The top-ranked duo in the main draw is India’s Anirudh Chandrasekar and Chinese Taipei’s Ray Ho, with Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios occupying the second-highest ranking. Niki Poonacha and Courtney John Lock, fresh off their appearance in the Delhi Open finals, are also expected to be strong contenders.
Maheshwar Rao IAS, Hon. Secretary of KSLTA and Organising Secretary of the Bengaluru Open, remarked: “Doubles has always been a strength of Indian tennis, and this event continues to highlight that legacy. With a strong field comprised of top-ranked pairs and accomplished champions, we look forward to another thrilling week of doubles at the Bengaluru Open.”
Among the prominent doubles entries, top singles seed Vit Kopriva will team up with Marek Gengel, while former World No. 17 Bernard Tomic pairs with Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia. The direct entrants also include India’s Siddhant Banthia and Parikshit Somani, enhancing home representation.
Since its inaugural event in 2015, the Bengaluru Open has seen four all-Indian winning pairs, with at least one Indian player winning the title in six of the past eight editions. The reigning Bengaluru Open doubles champions, India’s Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan, are also the joint most successful players in the tournament’s history, each claiming three titles, including two as a duo in 2022 and 2024.
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