Chennai Open: Was important to not let go of the momentum, says Yuki Bhambri

Yuki Bhambri’s aggressive play and exquisite display at the net gave Ramkumar Ramanathan very chances to make an impact.

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Where Yuki continues in Chennai, to take on Benoit Paire in the second round, Ramkumar switches to doubles with Saketh Myneni.

“I just didn’t take my foot off the gas and it was important for me to keep pushing and keep at it because he’s a good fighter,” is how Yuki Bhambri would give a sense of the thought process and the strategy that went into beating Ramkumar Ramanathan 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the Chennai Open on Tuesday.

The 50-minute defeat would expectedly bring about a sharp contrast in emotions on the Chennaite Ramkumar. He would be twitchy and frustrated with a question on his immediate plans post the defeat. “It was a bad match, bad day for me. I just don’t want to talk about it. But fair play and credit to Yuki for the way he played. He played it smart and credit to him for it,” Ramkumar said.

Yuki’s aggressive play and exquisite display at the net gave Ramkumar very chances to make an impact. Just when the chance arose, the 277th-ranked Ramanathan didn’t take them. In the first game of the second set, Bhambri would serve two double faults and bring about the only break point on his serve in the match. However, Ramanathan wouldn’t make the most of it. “In the first game of the second set, he served two double faults. I had the chance but I was too defensive (to capitalise),” Ramkumar said.

The duo take different paths in their way forward from here. Where Yuki continues in Chennai, to take on Benoit Paire in the second round, Ramkumar switches to doubles with Saketh Myneni before taking a break in the singles department. For Bhambri, the focus then switches to the Australian Open – the first Grand Slam of the Year which begins on January 16.

“I would take a few days off from here. In 2017, like 2016, I plan to play more Challenger events and to build from there,” is how Ramkumar would sum up the upcoming few weeks.

“I’m improving with every match. I still think there are a few areas I need to work on and get better, still to perform consistently on the court. That would come with more matches I play and to keep that going into Australia. That’s what the bigger picture is – to keep playing and keep winning,” is the different angle provided by Bhambri to his future.

Bhambri expects the second round against Paire to be an interesting one. “I’ve seen him around and he’s had good results. It is going to be a tough match. If I play solid, I give myself a good chance,” he concluded.