Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti are the ATP 250 Swiss Open Gstaad 2024 Doubles Champions. This was the 3rd ATP Doubles title for Yuki and gets him back into the top-50 ATP doubles rankings. Albano hits a ranking milestone by moving into the top-40 ATP Doubles ranking for the first time.

The results from their matches this week:

[R1] (3) Yuki Bhambri (IND)/ Albano Olivetti (FRA) d. Boris Arias (BOL) / Federico Zebellos (BOL) 6-4 6-4
[QF] (3) Yuki Bhambri (IND)/ Albano Olivetti (FRA) d. (7) Matwe Middelkoop (NED) / Denys Molchanov (UKR) 63 64
[SF] Y. Bhambri (3)/A. Olivetti (3) d. S. Arends (5)/R. Haase (5) 6-3, 7-6(4)
[F] (3) Yuki Bhambri (IND)/ Albano Olivetti (FRA) d. Ugo Humbert (FRA) / Fabrice Martin (FRA) 36 63 10-6

ITD caught up with Yuki and Albano after the match to get their views:

Thoughts on the match
The match didn’t start very well for us. They had a good start, they played well and then somehow we came back in the second set. We had a really good level in the 2nd set and then in the super tie break. It’s a good win for us and hopefully we can use it to continue like this.

Thoughts on the momentum shift from the 1st to the 2nd set and further
They started off really well. They served really well so our really main focus was to hang in there and hope for an opportunity. We knew if the scores are close, we might get an opportunity. It’s not the easiest to close out matches going for a tournament. So that’s what we did and we served better, we started returning a little bit better in the second set and found a way in the end.

Thoughts on the high altitude conditions
Yuki Bhambri:

In this altitude it’s always difficult to make a lot of balls. The key was to try and get the point started that’s always the case when the courts are a bit faster and a bit difficult to play.

Albano Olivetti:

It’s very different because it’s faster and it’s bouncing high. On Monday, we practiced. We tried to feel well in the altitude. When the match started, we found a way to feel good and to have a good level. We had to keep the focus. There’s no easy return here with the altitude and the good kick serve from the opponent.

We focused on the service game to try to not be broken and to put pressure on the opponents.

What makes your partnership tick?
Albano Olivetti:
I would say we have good very good weapons. He’s one of the best returners and I am one of the best servers in doubles. It is really good because I can start the set and Yuki can attack the opponent in the next return game.

We are good friends now. We have a good feeling together on the court and outside the court. It is a big pleasure to play with this guy every week, so it’s probably one of the reasons.

Yuki Bhambri:
I think our strength and weaknesses match really well. We have been adjusting better. We understand each other’s game better. So we’re able to help each other out as well and that’s always the key in any partnership. In doubles, a lot of times it’s very short partnerships but I think we’ve had good results and we are both open to learning and to keep improving and and that’s why I think we’ve continued well.

How did your partnership come about?
Albano Olivetti:

We know each other for maybe an year and a half. We were talking a little bit at the end of last year but it was too soon for Yuki. So I waited a bit more and then he stopped playing with Robin Hasse and I was also looking for someone. I knew that we can do well together so that’s how we started and we are pretty happy to play together.

Both of you are touching ranking milestones with this title: Top 50 rank and Top 40 rank

Yuki Bhambri:

I did enter 50 a couple of weeks ago as well but that’s not the end goal to be 50 and 40 we want to be competing for the for the big events. Give ourselves a shot at playing the Masters, the 500s and the way to do that is to keep improving the ranking and keep improving the tennis. At the end of the day, wins like these help. Need to continue to win the tournaments that we play, make a lot more finals and eventually the ranking will take care of itself.

Photos from the match