He was born in Geneva to a Bulgarian father, Kyril Manev Tanev (Bulgarian: Кирил Манев Танев, and French mother, Marie Purnot, from Metz.

[3] Maneff was a virtual unknown in the world of international tennis before entering the 1936 French Championships in Paris, where he reached the quarterfinals.

He put up a challenge to defending champion Fred Perry, who finally defeated him in four sets.

[4][5] Maneff reached the fourth round in singles at the 1938 Wimbledon Championships where he was beaten by fourth-seeded Henner Henkel.

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