Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti became the champions of the ATP 250 BMW Open in Munich, Germany today. This was the 2nd title for Yuki Bhambri and the 1st as a pair with Albano.
Surya Raj caught up with Coach Balachandran Manikkath to review the week
Surya Raj: Congratulations, Balu sir! Yuki and Albano played a stunning match to become champions of the ATP BMW Open 2024. Can you share your thoughts on their performance?
Coach Balachandran Manikkath: Thank you! Yes, Yuki played at an exceptional level today. It was a tough match; Struff was on fire after his singles win. He was hitting those lines, making it a real test. Yuki and Albano deserve a lot of credit for securing that break in the first set and maintaining their composure to win the tiebreak despite an early mini-break against them.
It was another tough moment when they missed the chance for a double break in the second set, followed by Albano losing serve. But they fought back, and yet again, they played masterfully in the tiebreak.
Surya Raj: What was the game plan going into this match, and how did Yuki and Albano execute it?
Coach Balachandran Manikkath: Today’s technology gives us a lot of data on our opponents. We – Albano, his coach, Yuki, and myself – had a good discussion and a clear strategy on how to approach serving and returning against Mies and Struff.
The game plan was sound, and they executed it brilliantly for the most part. If there was one area with room for improvement, I’d say it was Albano’s serve, which wasn’t as dominant as it usually is.
Surya Raj: Can you pinpoint any key moments, or perhaps a key player, that led to the victory?
Coach Balachandran Manikkath: While there were crucial moments, I’d have to say the key player and man of the match today was Yuki. His returns were out of this world! In the second set tiebreak, even after Albano’s double fault, Yuki’s returns brought them back into the game.
That winning shot on match point was all about Yuki’s brilliant returns and follow-up. His returns under that immense pressure were truly the key moment in this match
Surya Raj: This title has to be a big boost for Yuki. What does it mean for him going forward?
Coach Balachandran Manikkath: This win is huge for Yuki. I mentioned a couple of days ago that he needed a good run like this. The 250 ranking points are going to make a significant difference. He’s been making the semifinals recently, and has even lost a few matches after having match points.
So, to start this tournament against such a tough draw – the Monte Carlo Masters winners from last week! – then beat last year’s champions in the semis… this win establishes Yuki’s confidence and proves he can excel on clay.
Surya Raj: What can we expect from Yuki’s schedule in the upcoming weeks?
Coach Balachandran Manikkath: Yuki’s going to take a well-deserved week off. Then he will play a couple of Challenger events, followed by a 250, and then onwards towards the French Open.