Mumbai: Yuki Bhambri radiated joy as he proudly cradled the ATP Dubai Open trophy. Throughout his career as a professional tennis player, the doubles title he secured over the weekend alongside Australia’s Alexei Popyrin stands as his most significant achievement to date.

With the dazzling trophy—a silver vessel perched on a pedestal—Bhambri ascended into the world doubles top 40 for the first time.

“I reached the semi-finals in Doha the week before. You begin to sense that you are nearing victory, yet it always feels just out of reach,” he shared with HT. “This win is monumental for me. It feels wonderful to finally hold the trophy.”

Having climbed five positions in the rankings, the 32-year-old from New Delhi is now ranked No. 39 in doubles, while Popyrin holds the No. 27 spot in singles.

“The journey has been incredibly challenging and competitive,” Bhambri remarks regarding his ascent in the rankings. “However, I view this as a positive step forward.”

Once the Indian singles No. 1 and the 2009 Australian Open junior boys champion, Bhambri has twice entered the top 100 in singles, achieving a peak ranking of 83 in April 2018. Despite his talent, he faced difficulties with the physical demands of the sport.

In 2023, he effectively transitioned away from singles to concentrate exclusively on doubles.

“There remains much work ahead—ice baths and maintaining a consistent routine are essential,” he explains. “In singles, you spend hours on the court, continuously hitting balls. In doubles, you are often at the net. The pace is quicker, and rallies are shorter. It’s akin to shifting from a marathon runner to a sprinter.”

A significant challenge in doubles is finding a suitable partner, a situation that has proven particularly difficult for Bhambri in recent weeks. His regular partner, Frenchman Albano Olivetti, suffered an elbow injury early in the season, rendering him unavailable. Consequently, Bhambri partnered with Ivan Dodig, achieving success together at the Qatar Open.

However, uncertainty loomed as they approached Dubai.

Bhambri has had a longstanding acquaintance with Popyrin’s coach, Neville Godwin. Notably, Bhambri was aware that Australia’s No. 2 player was based in Dubai and participating in singles matches.

“I took a bit of a risk, hoping that since he’s at home, he might be interested in playing some doubles this week, as singles players occasionally do,” Bhambri remarked.

“He agreed, and five days later, we emerged as champions in Dubai.”

Bhambri’s reputation has risen, particularly following his recent victory, which has bolstered his confidence.

“One always aspires to reach a higher level or face greater challenges. For me, that has been the ATP 500s, the Masters, and even the Grand Slams,” he stated. “Every victory in those tournaments reinforces my belief that my efforts are steering me in the right direction. I hope this marks the beginning of many more significant events rather than the conclusion.”

Looking ahead, the next event on his schedule is the season’s first ATP 1000 Masters tournament at Indian Wells, United States, where he will partner with Sweden’s Andre Goransson. Following that, he is set to compete in the Miami Masters alongside Portugal’s Nuno Borges.

“The grind continues,” he concluded.

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