Yuki Bhambri relishes US Open journey, draws Inspiration from India’s sporting legacy

New York, Sep 2 Indian tennis star Yuki Bhambri opened up on the pride of representing his country at the US Open, his dreams of winning a Grand Slam, and his deep-rooted love for cricket, Bollywood, and Indian cuisine.

Yuki Bhambri and his partner Michael Venus of New Zealand advanced to the US Open 2025 tennis men's doubles pre-quarterfinals in New York on Monday. In an hour and twenty-five minutes at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, Bhambri and Venus, seeded fourteenth, upset the unseeded Gonzalo Escobar of Colombia and Miguel Ángel Reyes-Varela of Mexico 6-1, 7-5.

Bhambri, who advanced to the next round in doubles, said stepping onto the Grand Slam stage always carries immense weight. “I've had the privilege of sharing this stage with many fellow Indians, and our nation has a rich tennis legacy with icons like Amritraj (Vijay Amritraj), Krishnan (Ramesh Krishnan), Leander (Leander Paes), Mahesh (Mahesh Bhupathi), and Rohan (Rohan Bopanna) as well. 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 honour 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,” he said.

On competing at the sport’s highest level, Bhambri added: “I don't know if you fully realize the enormity, but you want to try and do the best you can. We're 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.”

Venus and Bhambri, the top-ranked men's doubles tennis player in India at world No. 32, broke their opponents twice to take a 3-0 lead and then win the first set 6-1.

In the second set, Escobar and Reyes-Varela put up a stronger fight, but Bhambri and Venus held their own, winning 7–5 to secure their place in the round of 16.

Like many players, Bhambri dreams of lifting a major trophy. “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. My 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. 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,” he said.

Offering advice to young Indian players, Bhambri emphasized patience and passion. “I would probably say, work hard and have fun. Tennis is a very, very long journey. It’s not about doing everything perfectly the 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.”

Away from tennis, Bhambri admitted cricket was his first love. “I don't know any Indian who is not a cricket fan. That's one of the first sports everyone plays 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.”

They will next face the fourth-seeded German pair of Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz.

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