Teenager Dhamne, experienced Ramkumar, Prajwal Dev to enter Bengaluru Open 2025 singles draw

India's 17-year-old prodigy Manas Dhamne and seasoned campaigners Ramkumar Ramanathan and SD Prajwal Dev have been awarded wild card entries into the singles main draw of the 2025 Bengaluru Open, as the ATP Challenger 125 event returns its thrilling ninth edition at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) courts in Cubbon Park from February 24 to March 2. Meanwhile, Kriish Tyagi and Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha will compete in the qualifying rounds as wild cards, looking to secure a spot in the main draw, as per a press release from KSLTA.

Dhamne, one of India's most promising young talents, has been active on the circuit for two years and recently captured his first significant title at the M15 Monastir in Tunisia. The teenager has already etched his name in history, becoming the youngest player to win a first-round match at the junior Australian Open and the youngest to play a main-draw ATP Tour match in 2023.

Prajwal Dev and Ramanathan, meanwhile, bring decades of experience to the tournament. Ramanathan, a mainstay in India's Davis Cup team, has been active on the circuit since 2009 and is a Bengaluru Open favourite, having added three doubles titles over the years to his burgeoning trophy cabinet. Prajwal Dev, on the other hand, earned his ATP ranking in 2015 and has competed in both singles and doubles throughout his career, winning one ATP Challenger doubles and several ITF doubles titles, including four in 2024.

Tournament Director Sunil Yajman commented on the occasion: "The Bengaluru Open has always played a key role in giving Indian players a platform to compete at a high level, and this year is no different. Manas Dhamne's rapid progress is exciting for Indian tennis, while Ramkumar and Prajwal Dev bring valuable experience to the field. We look forward to seeing how all our wild card entrants perform in the competition."

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Open doubles event will feature 16 teams, split between 10 direct entries, four on-site acceptances, and two wild cards. India's Anirudh Chandrasekar and Chinese Taipei's Ray Ho enter as the highest-ranked duo in the main draw, while Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios form the second-highest-ranked team. Fresh from their Delhi Open final appearance, Niki Poonacha and Courtney John Lock are also expected to contend strongly.

Maheshwar Rao IAS, Hon. Secretary, KSLTA and Organising Secretary, Bengaluru Open, said: "Doubles has been a strength for Indian tennis, and this event continues to showcase that legacy. The field is strong, featuring top-ranked pairs and accomplished champions, and we look forward to another thrilling week of doubles action at the Bengaluru Open."

Among other notable doubles entries, top singles seed Vit Kopriva will partner Marek Gengel in doubles, while former World No. 17 Bernard Tomic teams up with Colombia's Nicolas Mejia. India's Siddhant Banthia and Parikshit Somani are also among the direct entrants, strengthening home representation.

Since its inaugural edition in 2015, the Bengaluru Open has produced four all-Indian winning pairs, while at least one Indian player has claimed the title in six of the past eight editions. India's Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan are the reigning Bengaluru Open doubles champions. They are also the joint-most successful players in the event's history, having won three titles each, two of them as a pair (2022 and 2024). (ANI)