Anirudh Chandrasekar, alongside partner Takeru Yuzuki, walked off court at Roland Garros having given Paul and Willis a genuine contest across three sets, going down 3-6 7-6(4) 6-7(3-10). The defeat would sting, particularly after leading 2-0 in the super tiebreak, but the duo had a lot of positives to carry forward. Anirudh spoke to Prateek Chachra from Indian Tennis Daily about the match, the heat, and what a Grand Slam debut means to him.

Prateek: Anirudh, that was a real fight, especially in the third set. You were a game down and battled back to push it to a tiebreak. Not the result you wanted, but plenty to take from it. What are your thoughts?

Anirudh: Definitely a lot of positives – the way we fought, the way we believed in ourselves. But it’s a tough one to take. This is the second time this kind of situation has happened to me. There are always new things to learn. Kudos to my partner, it was his debut slam as well. There were initial nerves, but I think we held through. We could have done better in a lot of areas, there are always things to improve. It was a solid debut. Would have been better if it went our way, but otherwise it’s okay.

Prateek: How did you find your game on clay, especially under the Paris heat? Did the conditions affect you, or does growing up in India help with that?

Anirudh: I grew up in this weather, but I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe, so I’m not entirely used to it either. I think I held myself well today, but my partner was struggling a bit. It’s pretty hot — actually really hot. It kind of affected us in a small way. Your thinking ability reduces when it’s too hot. You’re fighting the heat, you’re fighting the opponents, you’re fighting yourself — there are multiple aspects to it. I was feeling a lot better as the match went on, but my partner was struggling a little. The weather could have been better for us.

Prateek: Yuzuki is taller and has a bigger serve. Was there a particular reason you chose to serve first in the first and third sets?

Anirudh: It’s something we’ve experimented with. When I start first, I start with newer balls. Since he already has a bigger serve, he can manage the heavier balls better. It’s more of a tactical decision than anything else. We keep switching, but today, given the clay and the heavy conditions, I decided to start first.

Prateek: In the second set you pushed through and won the tiebreak. What were your thoughts going through that?

Anirudh: That was a rollercoaster set. It should have been more straightforward for us. Yuzuki was struggling a little with his serve — he wasn’t as comfortable as he usually is, but that’s a one-off day for him. Otherwise he’s serving bombs. He was fighting mentally but held himself well. When we lost the double break, it felt like the match was slipping away, but we just hung in there. Momentum is everything in doubles. We eventually got the second set, and it could have been better if we’d taken the third too, but it’s all good.

Prateek: In the third, being a break down and then fighting back to level it — that was a big positive.

Anirudh: Yeah, absolutely. That showed a lot about where our heads were at.

Prateek: How would you describe the partnership with Yuzuki? What works between you two?

Anirudh: We complement each other well with the serves. He’s a very jovial, very lively person — that eases a lot of pressure. He’ll miss the most straightforward shots and end up laughing, which is actually a good thing. We did pretty well in the last couple of weeks together, so hopefully this partnership can continue and we can build on it.

Prateek: There were two walkovers in the doubles draw this week. Do you think more Indian players could have come in as alternates?

Anirudh: They could have, yes. There’s always a possibility of staying as alternates — I’ve done that in the past, gone to multiple Grand Slams and stayed as an alternate. It’s always a decision you make. When you get in, it’s a smart choice. If not, you can question it. But considering the heat, I think more Indians could have come — it’s very difficult for singles players to manage both singles and doubles together here.

Prateek: Any last words for the Indian fans rooting for you?

Anirudh: Thank you so much for all the support and the love. Thanks to my family watching back home — they sent a lot of wishes that I received. Hopefully I can keep doing well and making them proud.

Photos: Maria Angeles Chico