New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The 17-year-old Hitesh Chauhan, who recently became the first Indian to reach the second round of the French Open Juniors since 2016, has set his sights on a goal much bigger than winning a Grand Slam – reigniting the diminishing flame of tennis in the country.
In an exclusive conversation with IANS, the young talent opened up about his dream of representing India in Grand Slams and breaking into the top 30 of the ATP rankings. For Chauhan, it’s not just about personal glory — it’s about inspiring a generation and reviving interest in tennis nationwide.
“It’s going to be a long, tough journey. I don’t think I’m even halfway there, but through it all, I just want to make my country, my parents, my coaches, Roundglass —everyone—proud. I want every Indian to see tennis. I want them to see an Indian playing Grand Slams, being in the top 50, and top 30 in the ATP rankings.
“My goal is to bring tennis back to life in India—not at the level of cricket, of course—but to give it the recognition it deserves. I’m ready for the competition, ready for the hard work. And I’m sure I’ll be in the top 30—that’s my goal,” Hitesh told IANS.
In the first round of the French Open Junior men’s doubles, Hitesh, alongside teammate Haydar Cem Gokpinar (Turkiye), brushed past Sweden’s Ludvig Fredrik Hede and Switzerland’s Flynn Thomas 7-5, 6-3. This was the Indian’s first win at a Grand Slam tournament.
“It was an awesome experience over there. Playing with the champs over there, with the ATP players, No. 1 Jannik Sinner, (Carlos) Alcaraz, and all. Then playing where all the ATP players play, on the historic courts over there at the French Open. And playing with an amazing crowd over there. I will never forget this experience in my whole life,” Hitesh said.
In an almost poetic manner, Hitesh’s first win at a Grand Slam came during the tournament where his inspiration, Rafael Nadal, was honoured for his stellar career.
Hitesh spoke on how thinking about the Spaniard motivated him to give his best.
“Rafa is an inspiration. I always thought that one day I would want to be like him. So I have to face these challenges in my life. That also motivated me a lot, thinking about him, thinking about how he played with this much crowd. He also played the French Open when he was 17 years old,” he said.
Hitesh’s journey at the tournament came to an end when he was handed a 6-1, 6-4 defeat by the American duo of Noah Johnston and Benjamin Willwerth. Despite the defeat, Hitesh showed incredible heart and fight by continuing and fighting for each point despite cramping up in the second set. He also revealed how Aditya Sachdeva, his coach at Roundglass Academy, was extremely proud of him and opened up on the heartwarming conversation they shared after the game.
“When I called him after I lost a match, he was like, ‘In my mind, you have won. In my heart, you have won. The match you played today was just incredible. I’m so proud of you. The whole team, the whole academy, is so proud of you. This, I would not count as a loss. For me, it is a win that you played, even after you were injured. In the third set, you were 4-2 up, and then you got injured. You didn’t leave. You didn’t give up and you gave up every single, every single percentage of yours,” Hitesh revealed.
After a memorable French Open, Hitesh now turns his attention towards the pinnacle of Tennis – Wimbledon. The 17-year-old is currently adapting to the grass courts at the Chandigarh Club, as it will be his first time playing on the surface.
“The preparation for Wimbledon is going pretty well. I’m here in Chandigarh, getting ready for it. It’s a blessing that we have some grass courts here at the Chandigarh Club, so I’ve been able to practice before heading to Wimbledon. I’ve also been doing fitness work on the grass, focusing on my movement.
“I’m starting to feel comfortable, and that’s my main goal—to move really well on grass, especially since it’ll be my first time playing on it. The game is all in the mind, but physical preparation is crucial. That’s my focus for these two or three weeks leading up to Wimbledon,” he said.
But before he takes the field at the iconic courts of Wimbledon, Hitesh will be taking part in the British Open Roehampton , which he believes to be a ‘do-or-die’ tournament.
“It’s a very important tournament for me because if you reach the semifinals in singles or doubles, you can get a special exemption into the main draw of Wimbledon. Singles is my priority since doubles don’t count as much. So I have to give everything in that tournament. I have to reach the semifinals, no matter what. It’s do or die,” Hitesh concluded.
–IANS
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