Indian sports wrap, May 2: Manas Dhamne makes maiden ATP Challenger final

TENNIS

Manas Dhamne makes maiden ATP Challenger final

India’s rising tennis talent Manas Dhamne scripted a breakthrough run by storming into his maiden ATP Challenger final with a straight-sets win over France’s Antoine Ghibaudo in Shymkent, Kazakhstan on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Indian produced a composed and aggressive display to pip Ghibaudo 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals of the clay court tournament.

After edging a tight opening set with a late break, he raised his level in the second, dictating rallies from the baseline and closing out the contest without much trouble.

The victory marks a significant milestone in Dhamne’s young career, making him one of the few Indian teenagers to reach an ATP Challenger final.

His run this week is expected to give a substantial boost to his ranking and confidence as he continues his transition from junior to professional circuit.

He is likely to break into the top-400 on Monday.

Dhamne will now aim to cap off his dream week with a title when he takes the court in the final against Belgium’s Buvaysar Gadamauri on Sunday.

-PTI

GOLF

Yuvraj Sandhu in Top-10 in Turkey, Sharma also makes cut

India’s Yuvraj Sandhu played a steady round of 1-under 71 and was inside Top-10 at the halfway stage of the Turkish Airlines Open on DP World Tour title in Belek.

Also making the cut was Shubhankar Sharma, despite a nightmarish finish as he dropped five shots in a span of five holes between the 13th and the 17th with three bogeys and a double bogey.

He shot 3-over 75 and was now 1-over and Tied-57th. He had four birdies and two bogeys before that and he is now tied 57th, after sneaking inside the cut line, which fell at exactly 1-over.

Sandhu, playing his first season on the DP World Tour, birdied the fourth, eighth, 11th and the 14th while dropping shots on the seventh, 13th and 17th.

Gregorio De Leo will take a one-shot lead into the weekend as the Italian, playing in the morning, carded five birdies and just one bogey in his second round 68 to set the clubhouse target at seven under at National Golf Club.

The 26-year-old was briefly joined at that mark by afternoon starters Alejandro Del Rey and Jens Dantorp, but they both fell back into a tie for second alongside Kazuma Kobori and Sam Bairstow on six under.

De Leo secured his first 36-hole lead on the DP World Tour and is now chasing a maiden win after regaining his playing privileges at Qualifying School after a rookie campaign which featured two top-five finishes.

First-round leader Mikael Lindberg sits at five under in solo sixth after a second round 73, while defending champion Martin Couvra was among those to make the cut on the number at one over.

-PTI

BRIDGE

Formidables make successive semis in All India Bridge

Defending champions Formidables put up a dominant show to outplay Bangur Cement and storm into the semifinals of the All India Bridge Championship in Kolkata on Saturday.

Formidables will face Mavericks who fought hard to beat Slammers in another quarterfinal.

Team Monica Jajoo also made the last-four beating Prime and will face Deepadhaar who ousted Guns-N-Rose.

-PTI

Published on May 02, 2026