Yuki Bhambri’s rise on the doubles circuit reached a new milestone at Indian Wells, where he navigated a career-best run to the semifinals of a Masters 1000 event. Alongside partner Andre Goransson, Bhambri showcased the tactical composure and aggressive net play that has become a hallmark of their burgeoning partnership. Despite a narrow third-set tiebreak loss against Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot in a high-octane encounter defined by elite ball-striking, the Indian doubles star leaves the desert with significant momentum.
In this exclusive conversation, Bhambri reflects on the fine margins of the semifinal clash, the technical adjustments required to handle world-class power, and his transition from a difficult Middle East swing to finding consistency at the highest level of the ATP Tour.
Q) Thoughts on the match today
YB – It was tough obviously. Great ball striking from them. Both very good servers. Quite tough. We fought well today towards the end, but couldn’t get over the line today. They played a very good tiebreak in the third set and didn’t give us too many opportunities.
Q) Thoughts on making it so far in a Masters event for the first time in your career?
YB – Good couple of matches. Good performances again. I want to be consistent at these events – the Masters and the Grand Slams. Nice to go again go deep in a tournament. Got another hard court event (Miami) before the clay starts. So want to keep the run going and win as many matches as possible.
Q) Can you tell us a little about your partnership with Andre (Goransson). What works for you guys as a team?
YB – I thought he played pretty good today. Actually the whole tournament. He has played composed, serving really well. He has also been good at the net – staying aggressive. That has worked really well for us. Probably just couldn’t get over the line today. But overall, it was a good tournament after a tough few weeks in the Middle East.
Q) How did you reset in the 2nd set after the 1st set loss?
YB – Like I said, they are both good ball strikers. So sometimes you are trying to get the feet set. I wasn’t great with my timing initially. As the match progressed, it got better as I understood the speed of the balls coming at me.
Q) What are your goals for 2026?
YB – To be consistently playing at this level and fighting for these positions. Hopefully playing some finals as well in the Masters and Grand Slams would be a great step. Tougher events to come. Looking forward to the clay season. Want to keep improving and performing at this level.