Yuki profits from loss, looks ahead

After the high of last month, when Yuki Bhambri’s good showing in tournaments put him in the ITF junior top-100...

After the high of last month, when Yuki Bhambri’s good showing in tournaments put him in the ITF junior top-100, it must have been a disappointing experience for the 15-year-old to bow out of the big stage. He lost 6-7 (5), 2-6 to American Bradley Klahn in the final qualifying round of the US Open junior tournament last week.

However, all is not lost for the youngster. His American sojourn, as the youngster revealed after returning home today, was certainly not all in vain. His ranking has moved from 98 to 90 now, and he picked up some useful tips at the Nick Bolletieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) in Florida. Training at the NBTA was part of his contract with IMG, and it was here that Yuki got to hit it with other juniors before heading to the Grand Slam arena at Flushing Meadows.

“I was hitting with different players every day, and they were all older and more experienced. So it was definitely helpful. There were around 10 of us at the Academy, and we had six hours of training everyday — both tennis and fitness,” said Yuki, speaking to The Indian Express.

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“They all hit the ball really hard. At first I could barely handle the pace, but after a couple of days I got used to it. That made me realise the most important thing I need to do now is build up my strength,” he said, adding, “over there, I worked on my volleying and serve in particular.”

The strenuous training schedule left him with little time, but Yuki made sure that the trip would be something to remember: Rafael Nadal in action at the Open! “I watched Nadal play his third-round match, and even saw Bhupathi and Sania play their mixed doubles.”

It’s back to the Capital now, and the next tournament for Yuki will be the DSCL Nationals in October, where he is the defending champion in the under-14 category. IMG have given him a blank cheque for his return to NBTA anytime for another stint, but no date has been fixed as yet.

After the jet lag wears off, it’ll be back to the grind for Yuki as he gears up for bigger things ahead.

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