With the capital city snapping out of its rainy spell and reeling under an unseasonably hot afternoon last Thursday, Yuki Bhambri sat in the comfort of his air-conditioned room at his Delhi residence, engrossed in a deep conversation with a few members of the Roundglass Sports, where he has recently taken on a mentorship role in the tennis academy.
After a quick handshake, and an introduction, Yuki asked, “Do you want water, or nimbu pani? I want you to feel relaxed before you start shooting me with your questions.”
“Just water will be fine,” I replied.
One corner of the room showcased his medals and trophies, but it was hard to miss the distinctively decorative Dubai Championships men’s doubles trophy in the adjacent corner. It marked the 33-year-old’s maiden ATP 500 title, which he won alongside Australia’s Alexei Popyrin earlier this March. By the end of that month, Yuki had dethroned the legendary Rohan Bopanna to become India’s new No. 1 in men’s doubles, climbing to a then career-high ranking of 29. But the calendar year had more in store for the former junior World No. 1, whose stock continued to rise with each tournament.
Now ranked 22, Yuki came close to a second title after reaching the final on the grass courts of Mallorca with American Robert Galloway. But it was at the US Open earlier this month that he produced the standout moment of his career so far — reaching his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final in doubles.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Yuki opened up about his best-ever Slam performance, its significance in an injury-riddled career that saw him shift from singles to doubles, and how his partnership with Michael Venus blossomed during the North American hard-court swing. Here are excerpts…
Q: Yuki, congratulations on your US Open performance. It was your best-ever Grand Slam result in doubles. Can you walk us through the emotions you felt after that run, and how it felt to break through at this level?
Yuki Bhambri: Thank you. It was a little bit bittersweet. Obviously, I was happy to be making the semi-finals—it was a breakthrough event for me. I had made a few third rounds earlier this year, and coming into a Grand Slam, that’s where you want to be. That’s where you want to show your best tennis. I think both Michael and I played really well together. We didn’t have the best of starts going into the US summer, but after a lot of practice, we started executing the plays we wanted to. It all came together. And of course, we were very close in the end to making a final. But hopefully, I can give myself more opportunities in the future to be able to do that.
Q: At 33, after years of battling injuries and transitioning from singles to doubles, how significant is this result? How does this moment compare to others in your journey?
Yuki Bhambri: It’s almost like a second career. I always like to say that I had a good singles career, and now, for the last three years, I’ve been playing doubles. I’m hoping to have a good, long, successful career here as well. Every year, I feel like I’ve been making progress—with the rankings and with my tennis. The results reflect that, and I’ve been improving year by year. Hopefully, I can keep going and eventually get India some more deep runs in Grand Slams, maybe even some titles, and try to push myself as high as I can in doubles.
Q: You’ve had a few different doubles partners this year, but your partnership with Michael Venus seems to have clicked exceptionally well. What do you think makes this partnership work so well?
Yuki Bhambri: Ideally, you want to have one partner for the whole season—that’s the goal and the plan for next year as well. But due to various circumstances like injuries, changing partners, and the role rankings play, it hasn’t been easy to find that stability. With Michael, we’ve known each other for a very long time—we even played together 12 or 13 years ago. That familiarity certainly helps. Michael has also been one of the top doubles players in the world for the last six or seven years, so that experience adds a lot to our team.
Q: This partnership began right at the start of the North American hardcourt swing. How did it come about? What was the initial chat like in terms of mindset, game plan, or goal setting?
Yuki Bhambri: We always knew that we’d probably try and play together at some point. This was the first time when our rankings aligned in a way that allowed us to enter the bigger tournaments. Both of us were looking for partners, so it clicked. At the end of the day, you need the ranking to be able to play the Grand Slams and Masters events—everything is dictated by that. So this was the first opportunity where it all fell into place. I’m hoping this could turn into a long-term partnership, because I think we play well together and can achieve some big goals in 2026.
Q: Looking at your performance at the US Open, what would you say were the turning points or key moments in your matches that led to this career-defining run?
Yuki Bhambri: I think we executed really well and stayed composed under pressure. Each Slam match is so difficult and nerve-wracking. There’s a lot of pressure you put on yourself, knowing there are only four Grand Slams a year and everyone is trying to be at their best. Staying calm in those high-pressure situations and executing when it mattered were really the key factors in our run this time.
Q: This year has been a defining one for you—with the Dubai title and climbing to India’s No. 1 doubles ranking. How do you reflect on your year so far?
Yuki Bhambri: I’d say it’s been a year of phases. I had a really good hard court season early on—in January and February. The clay season wasn’t great, so there’s definitely room for improvement. But I’m very happy with the way the rankings have shaped up, and obviously ecstatic about winning Dubai and making the semi-finals of a Slam. I’ve been fairly consistent in the major events, but I still feel there’s more room for improvement. If I can keep building on this, I believe I can push even further up.
Q: Taking over the No. 1 spot from Rohan Bopanna — does it feel like a heavy responsibility?
Yuki Bhambri: I don’t think it’s a heavy responsibility. We’ve always had Indian players doing well, and I’m sure many more will come knocking on the door soon, which I certainly expect. You already put a lot of pressure on yourself to perform, so this is more of an added bonus. Rohan has set a very high benchmark for all of us and has mentored most of the doubles players in India. There’s still a lot to learn from him—even if he’s not the current No. 1, he remains one of the greatest players India has ever produced.
Q: With this landmark achievement behind you, what goals do you have for the rest of 2025? How do you plan to keep this momentum going?
Yuki Bhambri: There are still a few tournaments left—I have some indoor events in Europe coming up in October. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going, keep executing our plans well, and use that as preparation for 2026. We’re still finding our feet and figuring out a lot of things. The indoor surface will be a different kind of challenge, so it’ll be a great test for us—to see where we are and how we manage our expectations.
Q: How significant has Roundglass Academy been in your career, especially during this US Open run?
Yuki Bhambri: They’ve been absolutely instrumental in helping me get to where I am. I’ve worked with their director, who’s also my coach—Aditya Sachdeva—since I was 12 or 13 years old. When he moved to Chandigarh, it gave me an opportunity to associate with Round Glass. It’s been hugely beneficial—training there with world-class coaches. Also, being around younger players allows me to contribute with my experience. Some of the kids are quite promising—they’ve been doing well in juniors, and we’ve got Karman Singh in the Davis Cup team as well. Hopefully, they can utilise that setup and push higher in the rankings. India definitely needs a few more top singles players.
Q: You’ve also transitioned into a mentor. How has that experience been for you, and what does it mean to guide the next generation?
Yuki Bhambri: I actually enjoy it quite a lot—I feel it comes naturally to me. Maybe I’ve been influenced by fellow athletes I’ve seen do the same. Wherever I am, I try to give back as much as I can. Tennis has given me a lot, and I feel it’s my responsibility to pass that on. I always say my door is open—for kids to come and ask questions. I hope they don’t make the same mistakes I did while growing up. I know how valuable it would’ve been for me if I had more of a roadmap. Athletes who’ve played at the highest level need to share their experiences so the next generation can learn from that and carve their own path.
