Anirudh Chandrasekar and Ariel Behar entered the doubles draw at the Mubadala DC Open as lucky losers – and turned that second chance into one of the best weeks of their young partnership. Along the way, the pair pulled off a stunning upset over the No. 1 seeds Bolelli/Vavassori in the quarterfinals, riding clutch tiebreak tennis and a clear game plan to the semifinals, where they were finally stopped by an opponent serving lights-out tennis. It marked Anirudh’s first ATP 500 semi-final, and came in just his second tournament partnering with the experienced Behar – a pairing set up by Anirudh’s brother, Vignesh, who travelled with him for the week.
In the interview below, Anirudh and Ariel look back on the semifinal battle, break down the game plan behind their quarterfinal upset, discuss how their partnership came together, and share what’s next on the road to the US Open. Anirudh also opens up about his recent ATP singles debut, and Ariel gives a shoutout to Lala Sportswear, the on-court apparel brand run by his wife.
Q&A
Q: From lucky losers to making it to the semis — what are your thoughts on that run?
Anirudh Chandrasekar: Honestly, really grateful for the second chance, and we actually made the most of the opportunity we got. It doesn’t really happen to anyone, and I’m really glad we fought with a lot of grit and did well this week.
Q: Tell us about the semifinal — it looked like a tough match.
Anirudh: The semis was tough, very tough. They came up with some really good serves, and that put a lot of pressure on us throughout the match. We could have definitely done better, but this week was all about learning — I learned a lot from it. Thanks to Ari, he was honestly carrying me throughout and kept guiding me, and thanks to my brother, Vignesh, who’s here as well. Both of them together really helped me play and make it to this stage.
Q: What was the game plan coming into that match, given the big serving from your opponents?
Anirudh: We knew what to expect from them — Ari’s played them quite a few times, so he gave me clarity on what to expect. But I felt today they were exceptional on serve. I didn’t really have a lead at all, and I could have done better on my own service games and at the net. When they put that much pressure from one side, it got to me at the end. I’m a little disappointed I didn’t step up when it mattered, but overall I’m just happy with how the week went.
Q: Ari, any thoughts on that match — anything you guys could have done differently?
Ariel Behar: I think we could have, but today was just like this — they played an exceptional match, they were better than us. We could have played a couple of points a bit tighter on our serves and taken it to a tiebreak, taken our chances, like we did in the last couple of matches. It’s a bit bittersweet — it’s been a great week for us, and today we believe we could have won, but they were better than us. You have to give them that.
Q: You mentioned the last couple of matches you played exceptionally well — talk us through the upset win over the No. 1 seeds in the quarterfinal.
Ariel: We went in with a very clear game plan. We were very solid on our serves, so we put pressure on them, and we were expecting to go to a tiebreak — so when we got there, it wasn’t a bad situation for us, it was a good one. We played a bit free. Anirudh brought some good game there, and I got a good return — maybe I made one good return in the whole match, and it was the last one — but that’s exactly what we expected going into that match. We were happy with the week.
Anirudh: Ari covered it all, but like he said, we knew what to expect and had a clear game plan. We also expected to go to a tiebreak because of the conditions — it’s quick here and pretty hot, so it’s not easy to break. We were fortunate to get the break in the first set and close it out. Once we got to the tiebreak, I think it was all about believing — even before the match, we believed. That’s what got us the win, and I’m really happy with that.
Q: Your quarterfinal was almost flawless. On another note, you also made your ATP singles debut recently — how was that experience?
Anirudh: I did — I got into the singles. Honestly, it was my first singles match after a very long time, so I was trying not to get embarrassed. I actually took it to him — lost 6-2, 6-4 — but serve-and-volley on clay, at high altitude, it was working for me. I just could have been a bit tidier from the baseline. Great experience, and a little sore after the match (laughs).
Q: Are you going to continue on the singles route?
Anirudh: No, I’m going to stick to doubles.
Q: This is your first partnership together, pairing up with Ari — how did that come about?
Anirudh: When Ari first texted me about playing the next few weeks together, I was honestly really happy, because I’ve seen him play before and he’s been at that level, and we have very similar game styles. I discussed it with my brother, Vignesh, and we were just seeing the potential. He suggested I should go play challengers with Ari — and if I get into tour events with him too, great, but if not, be ready to play the challengers, because it would be a great learning experience. I’m really happy I got to play these last two weeks with him, because more than winning matches, I’ve learned a lot — the mindset he brings, the work ethic he has, it all showed me exactly why he’s been at that level. Kudos to my brother too, because he was very clear that I needed to play with Ari no matter what. We worked out a plan, eventually got here, and hopefully we can play a few more matches and tournaments together.
Q: Looking at your matches this week, it doesn’t look like you’re playing together for the first time. Ari, your thoughts on playing with Anirudh?
Ariel: Of course I knew what to expect. I think we had a chat the first day we got on the practice court, trying to get a clear plan for how to play. We got there a bit late, but on time — I think the first week was mostly about getting to know each other, and I was pretty disappointed with the level I had in the qualifiers. I was down that we couldn’t get to what we wanted to play, but luckily we got a second chance and took it — we played the way we’d talked about that first day. I think we found a nice way to compete together. I also learned to adapt and learn from your partner — how they are personally and how they play — you need to be very free in that situation. It was a great few matches, and I’m looking forward to maybe playing together again in the future.
Q: Finally — you must be tired of this question, but this is for the Indian fans!
Ariel: Lala Sportswear is the brand — that’s my wife’s. So you’ll see Lala everywhere on my kit. She’s been doing it for about eight or nine years now — some pretty unique, creative designs.
Q: What’s next for you both — any upcoming tournaments?
Ariel: I’m playing Lexington — well, we’re both playing Lexington, but separately, not together. Then a couple of challengers here in the US, one more in either Mexico or Canada, and hopefully the US Open after that.
Anirudh: Same plan for me. Hopefully my brother can travel too, though he has to head back to India at some point — he’s honestly made a difference, and I feel like having him around for the next few tournaments will help me. We have the same plan going forward, so let’s see how it goes. The US Open is the target.