World No. 78 (Doubles) Rithvik Bollipalli made his ATP 500 debut at the Dallas Open. Rithvik partnered with World No. 50 Nicolás Barrientos for this tourney.

Rithvik and Nicolas lost their R1 match to Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek by a scoreline of 6-7 7-5 6-10

Mahitha Dadireddy caught up with Rithvik to get his thoughts on the tourney

Mahitha Dadireddy: Rithvik, you had a tough match today. How did you feel going into it?

Rithvik Bollipalli: I knew it would be difficult. They’re both excellent players, world number ones, Grand Slam champions. For Nico and me, it was only our first week together, so I think it was a good start. The tiebreak was definitely tough.

Mahitha Dadireddy: What do you think was the deciding factor in the match?

Rithvik Bollipalli: Their level was a bit more solid than ours. Rajeev came out with a very good return. We fought hard and tried to stay focused, which is a big positive. It was a tough one, but we have more matches coming up soon.

Mahitha Dadireddy: You mentioned feeling a bit off today.

Rithvik Bollipalli: Yes, I was actually jet lagged. I spent the whole day in bed, struggling with sleep and body aches. But coming into the match, we just wanted to focus on staying professional, making the right decisions, and fighting together as a team. I think we did that. There are definitely things we can work on, and we’re going to talk to the coach about it. Even though it was a loss, I think it was a good start. We’re headed in the right direction.

Mahitha Dadireddy: You seem to be enjoying the level of competition you’re facing.

Rithvik Bollipalli: Absolutely. This is how I want it to be. This is where the real, highest level is. I’m happy to be at this level, and I’m just going to keep working, keep climbing. The tougher the draw, the more I enjoy it. I’m playing well.

Mahitha Dadireddy: What areas are you focusing on improving?

Rithvik Bollipalli: I’m working with my coaches, and they’re helping me a lot. There are definitely things I need to keep working on to get better. The match was very close, except for the super tie-break. But that’s part of it. It’s a learning process. It’s my first ATP 500, so I’ll take the positives and work on the negatives.

Mahitha Dadireddy: You’ve had different partners. How do you approach that?

Rithvik Bollipalli: It’s not always in my hands. I try to build something with whoever I play with, whether it’s short-term or long-term. I just try to keep improving my game. When I get a set partner, it’s going to be a good ride.

Mahitha Dadireddy: You debuted for India in the Davis Cup tie vs Togo. How was that experience?

Rithvik Bollipalli: We came through in two quick sets. I didn’t think the match itself was that challenging. But the atmosphere, playing in front of the home crowd, wearing the India jersey… I did it in juniors, but this was much better, much cooler. My parents were there, so I was really happy. Coming off the previous weekend, it was a great week. I got to bond with upcoming juniors from India, the coaches, the captain. It was exciting, and I hope I get to experience it again.

Mahitha Dadireddy: You have not played even one pro singles match yet

Rithvik Bollipalli: Yes, I made that decision right after college. I had some lower back issues, and my doubles level was much better than my singles, even though I played singles in college. It was my decision, and I’m fine with it. I’m proud of it. I think I’m backing it up pretty well, and I’m working hard in the right direction. My priority has always been doubles, and I’m really happy with what I decided.

RAPID FIRE

Hobbies	I listen to podcasts, read books (but not too often), watch movies, talk to my family.
Fav home cooked food	Chicken curry, definitely. And biryani.
Best wins so far	Had a couple of top-30 wins at the ATP 250 event in Almaty. Finals was also very exciting.
Loss that hurt the most	There are many losses, but the one that hurt the most recently was the Thailand finals with Arjun. We were the better team throughout but somehow managed to lose. But it’s part of the journey.
Toughest opponents so far	Heliovara and Patten. They won the Australian Open, and it was challenging to play them.
Favorite players	In singles, Andy Murray, all time. Doubles is a tough question. I really look up to Salisbury. Rajeev is one of the top guys I really like. Raven Klaasen was someone I learned a lot from.
Fav travel destination	Kenya. I have family there. I’ve visited four or five times. I like the wildlife. It’s unbelievable.
If you weren’t a tennis player, what would you be doing	Probably working in business with my dad. He already has an established business, so I’d just go do it with him.
Most unusual place you played tennis in	Monastir in Tunisia. It’s quite far, in the middle of nowhere. Bhilai in India is another one. I never thought I was going to go there.