15-yr old Vihaan Reddy (USA) won the ITF Juniors J100 event in Fujairah, UAE. The results are here. ITD spoke to Vihaan to get his thoughts on the performance and overall game.

Interviewer: Congratulations Vihaan! As you mentioned in the previous interview, you came back from being down two times throughout the tournament. How do you handle those kind of pressure situations?

Vihaan Reddy: I mean, in those situations I can’t really think about, like, I can’t think too much. Otherwise I’ll make mistakes, I’ll overthink everything. So I just go for whatever is working best for me at that moment or what I feel most comfortable with.

Interviewer: Coming to the final, what was the game plan coming in?

Vihaan Reddy: Well, I knew he was really hard hitting and consistent when, like, he had the ball in his strike zone. So I tried to move him around. And also I didn’t notice this before, but during the match I kind of found that he also didn’t handle, like, the balls coming hard, like in the middle or towards himself. So I used that.

Interviewer: In both of the first two sets, you were down a break pretty early, but you were in the first set. You were able to win six games in a row. What were the changes that you made as such to come back?

Vihaan Reddy: I mean, I think first set I didn’t start well. And then after that I just started playing my game, just playing normal. And I was also returning well. So that helped because he had a big serve. The second set, once I went down that early break, I couldn’t break him back. He has a big serve and my returns weren’t going as deep as in the first set.

Interviewer: And then is this your first time playing in the Gulf region?

Vihaan Reddy: Yeah, this is my first time.

Interviewer: So how do you find the overall atmosphere and playing conditions?

Vihaan Reddy: I mean, it was nice. Now, I actually kind of like the hotter conditions. This wasn’t too hot, but it was kind of mild.

Interviewer: And so you’ve been at USTA center in, I guess in Florida for the past one year, I guess, or like few months at least. So how’s that experience been? Can you also talk about the team behind you there?

Vihaan Reddy: Well, my tennis coach is Coach John, who’s helped me a lot with my volleys, slices, like really every part of my game. I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better, even though the past few months results didn’t show it. But recently, last couple months, it’s been picking up. And then my fitness coach mainly is Coach Sierra. I mean, I feel a lot stronger, quicker, and I used to maybe get tired in third sets and sometimes get cramps, and now I feel like almost completely fresh after a three set match.

Interviewer: Okay. Yeah. Especially on the fitness part. Like some of us who have seen you at Wimbledon, you were pretty much a skinny kind of guy. Now you have strong legs. So what has been the work involved to get to this stage?

Vihaan Reddy: I mean, a lot of gym work. Like, before USTA I wasn’t doing nearly as much fitness. Now I’m doing at least an hour a day in the gym, on the track, which has helped me a lot. Even on court movement, yeah, I mean everything. I’m doing more of that.

Interviewer: And coming to your game style as well, has there been any changes that you’ve been making since moving to USTA?

Vihaan Reddy: Yeah, I’ve been working on being more aggressive because before I was like a very defensive counter puncher. Now I feel like I can still counter punch, but I also feel comfortable like using my forehand, running around my backhand, using my forehand to open up the court, come to the net.

Interviewer: And you’ve been playing pretty high tier events in the US as well, gaining exposure. What do you think is the change, like further improvements in your game that you need to make to go higher up the ladder in the junior circuit?

Vihaan Reddy: I mean, I definitely need to improve every part of my game, but I feel like mostly on defense. Sometimes I don’t get enough on the ball, enough height or enough depth. And my forehand in general could be a lot stronger. It’s right now like maybe similar to my backhand, but most players, their forehand is much stronger. So that needs to be improved.

Interviewer: Got it. And what’s your schedule like moving forward?

Vihaan Reddy: Well, next week I’m playing the J100 in Dubai and then probably another J100 there as well. And then after that…

Interviewer: Thanks a lot for your time, Vihaan.