Interviewer:
All right, so I have Yuki and Saketh again with me. Glad to have you with me guys and congratulations on an awesome win! Any first thoughts on your match? You were playing a team that has won 10 Challenger titles, in the last year. Number three seeds here. Let’s start with first thoughts on your match.
Yuki:
Yeah, they’re just one of the teams that also came up through the ranks. Very similar trajectory to us from the challengers, started off well, and from the Grass Court season and they picked up. And obviously in deserving of this spot here, so we knew we were coming a tough match, we dint have a great start to it, but I think we got better and, and, you know, finished off well at the end and we’ve said this before as well, match isn’t over till it’s over. And doubles, one point, two points can change the whole moment of the match. And yeah, we just stuck with them. At the end, we then just picked up our levels little a bit and sneaked out a win today.
Interviewer:
That’s great. The first set was a little slow, I think. I saw the match, weren’t getting your shots in. Was it nerves or anything else?
Saketh:
No, no. Just like little few things, which we were trying to do too much maybe like, maybe two Less on the first serve percentages and all that. So, we got in trouble, and they were a little swingy at it and they got a few points, like back-to-back quick points there, and then the deuce point in the first game. It’s always tough when you lose a deuce game you know the whole tempo of the game changes and the first set they were starting to serve better, and we stayed with them as much as possible. You know, in the first also were like, we couldn’t get create chances but second like we tried to do better a little bit, the first serve percentages and try to play high tennis there. So that’s Something we must work and keep learning on.
Interviewer:
Great. So Balaji and Jeevan played them last year at the Tata open in their semis recently. Did you guys talk to them for any tips? And Did you guys talk to them?
Saketh:
No not this time because we played both of them in the past like separately. So, we knew what we were up to, and we’ve seen them play in the last five to six months. So that’s something. You know, we still have to play our strengths and learn from our games. Also, like didn’t take it this time because you don’t want too much information. They’re also at the same time but end of the day it’s us like we have to get to get better at and focus on our games. I think that’s a key for us to really focus on our games and take it from there.
Interviewer:
Awesome. So, you’re aiming to get into your ATP finals tomorrow, playing the semifinals tomorrow aiming to get into the finals. Any thoughts There? do you guys feel much more comfortable at this level now that you’re progressing so well?
Yuki:
one match at a time. It’s still Tennis at the end of the day, we try, and we would obviously like to be in a position to make the final, but every match is tough. And as we keep progressing, it gets harder and tougher. But yeah, hopefully, you know, we can get that breakthrough it’ll be nice to make a final but yeah baby steps. You know, as I said before, focus on ourselves, focus on our games, and let the result take care of itself.
Interviewer:
Great. some big celebrations at the end of the match. What did this when win mean to you guys?
Saketh:
I think every win is big for us, especially at this level in it. Nothing comes easy. You must stay strong and keep competing hard for something. It’s always good. Like especially we didn’t have a great start today and then you found a way to win this. So that’s something and he shows more emotions than me. So, it’s always, It’s always fun like that.
Yuki:
You don’t get many opportunities to play, and we want to capitalize on the opportunities that we get, just a structure such that you’re not, you know, it’s very hard to get to the top. So, you know, we understand that. And that’s why I think the emotions are because we’re aware that every match is difficult and the more we Win the more chances, we create for ourselves to keep playing at this level, and to keep playing the high level.
Interviewer:
Yuki, you and Michael Venus are very good friends. You both had reached R3 of the Australian Open in 2014. As you started on your doubles journey last year – he had given a helping hand as a top-10 doubles player by playing with you at the ATP 250 Melbourne in Jan 2022. How does it feel to earn your way through to the ATP Tour Main draw match now you are in the semis here and your friend M Venus is also playing here?
Yuki:
We never played each other, but he’s had a great career, really picked up when he played in 2014. From Australia, he’s gone strength to strength and obviously one of the most talented doubles players now in the last 5 or 6 years so yeah, like I said, happy to be in the tour, you know, and get to see some familiar faces and we keep doing well, we’ll probably be seeing him a lot more of him.
Interviewer:
Thanks, guys. Congratulations again and good luck with your semifinals!
