Getting more comfortable with each practice session, says Yuki Bhambri

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Yuki Bhambri, who has arrived in Paris for Roland Garros, has stated that he is getting better with each practice session and really looking forward to the championship. Bhambri, who had a good start to the season, has asserted that he is going to be aggressive with his shots from the word go.

Bhambri has had a remarkable year so far as after he made into main draw at the Australian Open, the Indian made it into the main draw of the Masters' events on the hard courts of Indian Wells and Miami as well. And after clinching the ATP Challenger event in Taipei, he was able to reach the cut off ranking for the entry list at Roland Garros. It has earned him a direct entry into the main draw of French Open for the first time in his career.

Having done well on hard courts through his career, clay poses a different challenge. It is not his preferred surface and it can be observed by the fact that he’s only played 13 matches on clay in his career with a win-loss record of 8-5. He played the qualifying matches in Paris in 2015 (reaching the second qualifying round) and 2017 (losing to Peter Polansky in first qualifying round). 

Bhambri, who arrived in Paris a week ago, said that he is getting more comfortable on the slower surface with every training and practice session. His 30-year old opponent, Ruben Bemelmans, however, has the advantage of matches under his belt and played three ATP Challengers on clay, where he won just one match before falling in the first round of the qualifying draw in the Rome Masters. 

“Since I have played so much on hardcourts, it’s about making the adjustments to your game. You slide more here, you put more into every ball you hit, you have to hit more balls before you can put one away,” said Bhambri, as reported by TOI.

“I’m going to play aggressively, go for my shots. maybe I need to be more patient, but I don’t want to stay back and rally from the baseline. In the end, I have to be at my best and play my best no matter who I am playing. This is a Grand Slam."

When the Delhi-based player will step onto an outside court at Roland Garros he will become the first Indian to play the main draw of the men’s singles event here since Somdev Devvarman in 2013.

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