New Delhi– Seventeen-year-old tennis prodigy Hitesh Chauhan, who recently made history as the first Indian to reach the second round of the French Open Juniors since 2016, says his ambitions extend far beyond personal milestones. His mission, he says, is to reignite India’s passion for tennis.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Chauhan spoke about his dreams of representing India on the Grand Slam stage and climbing into the ATP top 30, but more importantly, of making tennis a household name in a cricket-obsessed country.
“It’s going to be a long, tough journey. I don’t think I’m even halfway there,” said Chauhan. “But through it all, I just want to make my country, my parents, my coaches, and Roundglass 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. My goal is to bring tennis back to life in India—not at cricket’s level, of course—but to give it the recognition it deserves.”
At Roland Garros, Hitesh made a stellar Grand Slam debut, defeating Sweden’s Ludvig Fredrik Hede 6-4, 6-3 in the opening round of the boys’ singles. He also claimed a doubles win alongside Turkiye’s Haydar Cem Gokpinar, beating Hede and Switzerland’s Flynn Thomas 7-5, 6-3.
Reflecting on his first taste of a Grand Slam environment, Chauhan called it unforgettable.
“It was an awesome experience. Playing on those historic courts, with the ATP players around—Sinner, Alcaraz, all of them—and in front of such a crowd, I will never forget it,” he said.
His French Open journey ended in the second round with a 6-1, 6-4 loss to American Benjamin Willworth. Despite battling cramps in the second set, Chauhan pushed through every point—a performance that moved his coach, Aditya Sachdeva of Roundglass Academy, to tears.
“When I called him after the loss, he told me, ‘In my mind, you have won. In my heart, you have won.’ He said the match I played was incredible and he was proud of me. That meant everything,” Hitesh shared.
The young star is now gearing up for Wimbledon, training on grass for the first time at Chandigarh Club.
“It’s a blessing we have some grass courts here. I’m doing all my fitness and movement training on this surface. The goal is to feel completely comfortable before Wimbledon,” he said.
Before his debut at the All England Club, Chauhan will compete in the prestigious British Open Junior Championship in Roehampton. He views the tournament as a critical gateway to his Wimbledon dream.
“If I reach the semifinals in singles, I could get a special exemption into the main draw at Wimbledon,” he explained. “Singles is my focus—it’s do or die. I have to give it everything.”
Whether or not he breaks into the ATP top 30 in the near future, Hitesh Chauhan has already made a powerful impression—not just with his talent, but with his vision for the future of Indian tennis. (Source: IANS)
