3 months ago
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Manav Thakkar, India’s large hope, crashed retired successful the 2nd circular of the men’s singles astatine the WTT Star Contender array tennis tourney astatine the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University connected Friday (February 13, 2026).
World No. 174 Lubomír Jancarik of Czechia stunned the 33rd-ranked Indian, seeded four, successful 4 games (11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9), producing 1 of the biggest upsets of the lawsuit truthful far.
The 38-year-old Czech was crisp and accordant from the outset. His serves were precise, particularly those backhand broadside spins, his returns were heavy and controlled, and helium handled some abbreviated exchanges and agelong rallies with assurance. Jancarik seldom gave distant casual points and kept the unit connected throughout.
Manav, connected the different hand, looked unusually off-colour. Known for his solidity from mid and back-court and his quality to not marque galore unforced errors, the Indian struggled for bushed and committed a drawstring of simple mistakes that allowed his hostile to dictate play.
A seasoned campaigner—his champion show was reaching the last of the Kuwait Open successful 2008) connected the planetary circuit,--Jancarik has competed successful astir a twelve WTT events successful 2025 and has already featured successful 2 this season—the WTT Contender Muscat and the WTT Star Contender Doha. While helium hasn’t made heavy runs successful caller tournaments, his temperament and tactical subject were evident here.
A existent journeyman of the tour, Jancarik continues to grind it retired week aft week--and connected this occasion, his persistence paid disconnected handsomely.
Speaking astir the triumph to The Hindu, Jancarik said: “Manav is simply a precise bully player, but I deliberation Manav would admit that the lucifer was successful my hands today, for sure. I was starring successful each the sets,” helium said. Having beaten him the lone clip the 2 met--in the WTT Feeder successful Havirov (Czech Republic) successful 2025, Jancarik said: “I conscionable knew the system, his system, you know, and I was waiting what helium volition alteration oregon not.”
On his ambition, Jancarik said: “I privation to beryllium successful the apical 30 and play successful the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”
