There was a sense of anticipation around Thursday’s showdown between top seed Janko Tipsarevic and 19 year old Yuki Bhambri – just like there has been a sense of anticipation around Bhambri’s professional career for some time now.
After all, Bhambri is considered the biggest hope in Indian tennis – a junior world no. 1 and a junior Grand Slam winner. But his transition from the juniors to the pros has been far from smooth. While other 19 year olds like Bernard Tomic and Ryan Harrison are now firmly ranked inside the top 100 in the world, Bhambri has had more than his share his of growing aches and pains.
Repeated injuries and breakdowns to his wiry frame (most recently, he missed 5 months in mid-2011 due to injuries) have slowed the progress for the Indian, who is currently ranked 345 in the world.
The match-up against Tipsarevic would provide a good barometer for the Indian. But right from the onset, Bhambri’s lack of experience and Tipsarevic’s world-class abilities were on display for all to see. The Indian hit 3 unforced errors in his very first service game to get broken while the Serb hit 3 unreturnable serves in his first service game to establish a 2-0 lead.
The first set was all Tipsarevic. The only respite for the Indian coming in the third game when he hit 2 aces and a half-volley winner to win his only game of that set. The Serb combined big serving with steady tennis and spellbinding winners to win the first set 6-1.
It was hard to believe that Bhambri could win this match – even the Indian did not seem to believe it himself. A telling insight into this frame of mind came in the fourth game of the first set when mid-rally, the Serb took charge and hit an off-backhand down the line winner. Bhambri shrugged his shoulders as if to say how can I beat that.
Bhambri gave us a small glimmer of hope in the second set when at 1-1, he played his two best points of the match. First, he retrieved some big hitting from the Serb and managed to hit a running forehand passing winner off a Tipsarevic swinging volley. Then, he stepped around and blasted Tipsarevic’s service for a screaming return winner. The Indian got a look at his only break point in this game, but he was unable to convert the same. Tipsarevic held for 2-1. Another break in the next game for the Serb was all he needed as he held on to that advantage to complete a 6-1, 6-3 win in 62 minutes.
Bhambri certainly needs to pack a bigger punch if he aims to reach higher in the men’s game. His first round win here in Chennai guarantees him 20 ATP ranking points, enough to see him rise to a new career high ranking of around 305.
The Indian hits a bigger ball than Somdev Devvarman, India’s current top-ranked player at no. 84, but is nowhere as close to his countryman in terms of consistency and court coverage. Hopefully, if he remains healthy and fit, Bhambri will have the time to improve these aspects of his game over the next few years. If he is looking for hope, he only had to look across the net at his opponent, who was coming off the best season of his career – breaking into the top 20 for the first time, reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-final, winning his first career title and then his second a few weeks later and breaking into the top 10 – all at the age of 27 after wandering the periphery of the big time in tennis for years.
Bhambri has time on his hands. The only thing to see is if he has the motivation and hunger to persevere until his time comes.
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