Yuki Bhambri discusses dreams of winning Grand Slam doubles and love for cricket
Yuki Bhambri targets his first Grand Slam doubles title at the US Open. He shares insights on representing India, his tennis idols, and advice for future players, along with his passion for cricket
Hyderabad: Indian tennis star Yuki Bhambri said that he had the privilege of sharing the stage with many fellow Indians, and the country has a rich tennis legacy with icons like Amritraj (Vijay Amritraj), Krishnan (Ramesh Krishnan), Leander (Leander Paes), Mahesh (Mahesh Bhupathi), and Rohan (Rohan Bopanna).
“Ultimately, the biggest pressure often comes from within, as I always strive to perform at my very best whenever I step on court. It’s an honor to represent India, and I truly cherish every moment, especially here, at the US Open. I’m pleased to have advanced to the next round, and I’m eager to keep pushing and see how far we can go,” Yuki said during a chat on JioHotStar.
On the privilege of competing at the Grand Slam level, Yuki said, “We are playing on the biggest stage of them all. Not everybody gets an opportunity to be playing at one of the Grand Slams. And I know I’m quite fortunate to be able to do this.”
“I’ve done it in singles, and now I’m playing doubles here. I’m just happy to be out there playing tennis, especially with a friend of mine. It makes it a lot more fun being on the same side, playing with someone you know well. I’m happy to go out there and do my job. It makes it a lot more exciting to represent your country as well,” Yuki said.
He also expressed the significance of winning a Grand Slam doubles title. “It’s every person’s dream when they hold a tennis racket. When you go out there, that’s what you want to do. This is what you’ve seen on TV,” he said.
Yuki said his idols growing up were Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. “You see them do it. That’s one of the reasons why I picked up a tennis racket—watching them win the US Open, watching them win Wimbledon. When you go out there, winning a Grand Slam is obviously a dream to accomplish,” he said.
“That’s what all of us out there are trying to do. We’re putting our best foot forward and hope one day we can achieve that,” Yuki said.
Yuki’s advice to the next generation of aspiring professional tennis players in India is to work hard and have fun. “Tennis is a very, very long journey. It’s not about doing everything perfectly right away, but rather focusing on building a long career. Go out there, work hard, and enjoy the process. It’s possible to make a living and a dream out of this, and it’s a lot of fun along the way,” he said.
On his love for cricket, Yuki said that it was one of the first sports he played growing up. “It was my first love as well. If it probably wasn’t for tennis, I would be out there trying to bat and hit those sixes as well. I follow the Indian cricket team closely and watch every match they play. I love watching the IPL and support Mumbai in the IPL. I wish the team the best of luck, of course,” he said.
