"I just focused on my strength, my serve, and it turned out well" - Chirag Duhan after his big win over ATP 351

Chirag Duhan scored the biggest win of his burgeoning career with a 6-4 6-2 win over Evgenii Tiurnev (RUS, 351) at the ATP Chennai Open Challenger. Indian Tennis Daily had a chance to speak to him on this win and his tennis career so far.

Gopi: Congrats, Chirag, on your biggest career win over the ATP-ranked 351 player. Thoughts on the match?

Chirag Duhan: Thank you! I’d say it was a good-level match. I was focused from the beginning to be solid on my serve, and luckily, I got some good breaks on his serve. I just continued my momentum, and it worked out well.

Gopi: What was the game plan coming in, and what do you think were the key aspects that turned in your favor?

Chirag Duhan: I knew the conditions weren’t going to be easy for any player because it was very hot and humid. So, I was pretty prepared for that. I just focused on my strengths, especially my serve, and I’m happy that it turned out well.

Gopi: You were part of the Davis Cup team as a reserve. How was that experience?

Chirag Duhan: It was a really good experience. Every team member brought good energy, and it created a great environment. I’d like to thank them for that.

Gopi: You’ve been training at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Biot, France, for the past couple of years. How has your experience been there?

Chirag Duhan: The experience has been good. The main reason for going there was to get exposure and play with good players. I’m happy that I’ve been able to do that. Also, it’s easy to travel from there, and I can play a lot of tournaments.

Gopi: You’ve been world number 75 as a junior and have broken into the top 1000 of the ATP rankings over the last couple of months. How has the transition been?

Chirag Duhan: The transition hasn’t been exactly the way I wanted because I got injured just as I was finishing my junior career. I didn’t play any tournaments in my last year as a junior due to a fracture in my left wrist. It was tough, but I used that time to build myself physically and mentally, and then I came back stronger.

Gopi: You’ve been having success in doubles as well, winning titles in Bhopal and Chennai. Any particular reasons for that?

Chirag Duhan: I don’t know, honestly. I just train for singles, and it’s turning out well in doubles. Maybe I should do the opposite now!

Gopi: Can you talk about the team behind you in India and France?

Chirag Duhan: They’re doing a great job. In India, I train at the Grow Tennis Academy under Coach Gaurav Sharma. I’ve been training with him for almost 10 years now. Every day, we focus on how to improve in every session, and it’s been turning out well. At Mouratoglou, I’m getting good exposure and playing a lot of tournaments, which is helping me a lot.

RAPID FIRE

Hobbies	Swimming and reading books
Favorite travel destination	Switzerland
A place you haven’t been to but would like to visit	Iceland
Favorite cuisine and dish	I’m not very choosy when it comes to food, but I’d say something basic like Rajma Chawal
Favorite home-cooked dish	Again, Rajma Chawal
Your best win so far, and why	I’d say this one, as it’s my highest win in terms of ranking and in my home country
Who’s the toughest opponent you’ve faced so far	I’ve played a lot of good players, but as soon as I start playing with them, I feel like it’s not very tough. So, I wouldn’t like to name anyone
A song that’s on repeat for you right now	It depends on my mood. Whatever comes first on my Spotify or YouTube playlist, I just play that
Favorite player	Zverev
If you weren’t a tennis player, what would you be	Definitely something in sports—maybe a basketball player or a swimmer
Most unusual place you’ve ever played	I’d say Turkey, in Kayseri. It was freezing, windy, and at 2600 meters altitude. Definitely unusual!
Funniest thing that’s happened to you on the court	While playing doubles, I hit a smash on my partner’s head. It was funny for me but not for my partner!