Manas Damne Shocks Fifth Seed at Bengaluru Open 2026
Teenager Manas Damne Pulls Off Stunning Upset
Eighteen-year-old Manas Damne from Satara achieved a remarkable upset on the first day of the 10th Bengaluru Open 2026, defeating fifth-seeded Matej Dodig with scores of 7-5, 4-6, 6-1, securing his spot in the Round of 16. Demonstrating exceptional composure and maturity, Damne won 78% of his first serve points (42 out of 54) and an impressive 75% of net points (6 out of 8), marking the most significant victory of his career in terms of ranking, according to a statement.
Damne started strong, applying pressure on Dodig in the first set, which he clinched 7-5 despite Dodig's resistance. The Croatian bounced back in the second set, breaking early to level the match. However, the Indian teenager maintained his composure in the final set, breaking Dodig's serve twice to take a commanding lead. With precise shots and capitalizing on Dodig's unforced errors, Damne convincingly secured the deciding set.
Sumit Nagal Advances to Round of 16
In another match, India's top player and former Bengaluru Open champion, Sumit Nagal, achieved a straightforward victory against fellow Indian SD Prajwal Dev. After an early break, Nagal quickly regained his focus to win 6-3, 6-3, advancing to the Round of 16.
Other Results from the Opening Day
On the same day, France's Matteo Martineau made a notable comeback to defeat third seed Jay Clarke with scores of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Additionally, second seed Harold Mayot, sixth seed Timofey Skatov, and Dan Martin also moved forward with their respective victories.
Earlier, French players Alexis Gautier and Felix Belshaw, Finland's Eero Vasa, Dutchman Niels Visker, Malaysian Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong, Tunisia's Aziz Ouakaa, and Kazakhstan's Timofey Skatov secured their spots in the main draw after successfully navigating the final round of qualifiers.
The first day of the main draw was set to conclude with fourth seed Lloyd Harris from South Africa facing Czechia's Jonas Forejtek in the evening's final match.