You need sponsors and resources for developing tennis in India, says Yuki Bhambri

Bhambri reached a career-high world ranking of 83, in a season where he has beaten the likes of Gael Monfils and Lucas Pouille.  Despite succumbing the elbow injury which made him inconsistent for one and a half year, the Delhi player didn’t stop trying to come against all odds and proved his mettle against Monfils and Pouille.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TOI, the star performer said, “The Monfils match was the turning point for me this season. Beating him in Washington gave me the confidence to go into the next event. I could think anyone was beatable. In all the matches (against Monfils, Mahut, and Pouille), I  played aggressively, which comes from complete belief in my game. That made the difference.”

Being a caliber of player like Yuki, not getting sponsors has put forth a lot of hindrances in preparation and really unfortunate. Yuki disappointingly said that people discuss how we could improve when the Olympics are around the corner, but no one really talks about what is put in by the government and sponsors. 

“Financial support and good results go hand in hand. Unfortunately, tennis in India is one of the sports that never had a system in place. And it’s not just now, it goes back several years. In Indian tennis, it’s the families that back the players.  And that’s the reason you don’t find multiple players coming through the system. Now you know why we have only one top-100 player coming every 10-15 years,” he added.

The 25-year-old player reinforced the need for resources in professional tennis. Giving the examples of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he said they have the right kind of tacticians, physios, coaches before the start of the match which helps them immensely. 

“Occasionally, I’d have my parents and coach travel with me during my earlier years. After a while, you need support staff to stay at a certain level as a player. The Federers and the Nadals have stayed at the top because they had the right resources with them. [With us] it’s like a Maruti car racing against a Ferrari. No matter what, you’re not going to win a match at that level. It’s important to have a coach who’s going to help you with tactics and a physio to ensure you’re doing the right exercises,” Yuki Pointed.

Speaking about the dropped ranking from 111 to 282 and how he handled that setback during this tough phase, the Delhi player gave the credit to both of his sisters Ankita and Sanaa. “My sisters, Ankita and Sanaa, have always pushed me to reach the level where I’m now. They’re the biggest motivators for me. Having played the sport themselves, they understand how it works. I’ve had the luxury of talking and discussing the sport with them whenever I wanted to. Yes, there have been times I’ve thought of trying something else or doing something different,” said Yuki. 

The looked excited on a question about his qualifications for French Open and gone to say about his dreams for participating in Wimbledon open too. “I’m excited that I’ve finally got a chance to play in the main draw of Roland Garros. I had the opportunity to play in Australia, but the French Open and hopefully Wimbledon will be a dream come true. And it’s not only about playing. I have got the belief that I can get through a few rounds,” he concluded.