Indian Davis Cupper Aryan Shah is currently competing at the ITF M25 event in Tauste, Spain. Currently ranked ATP #965, Shah took time during the tournament to sit down with CanalTenis.com for an insightful conversation about his surface preferences, the challenges of competing far from home, and his ultimate goals for his professional career.

Here is the transcript of the interview, formatted for Indian Tennis Daily.

On choosing to compete in Spain and his preferred surfaces

CanalTenis: Why did you decide to play here in Spain, and how do you feel about the courts?

Aryan Shah: I’ve been to Spain before, so I could see it in the tournament calendar and thought, why not just try and go back to Spain for a hard-court tournament? I would say I love playing on hard courts more than clay courts. I tried my luck on clay courts, but I didn’t have the best clay court results.

CanalTenis: You recently played in a big ATP 500 event in the US. How was that experience?

Aryan: The level was pretty high; it’s an ATP 500, so it’s a good tournament overall. Plus, I’ve been training in the States for quite some time, so I’m pretty used to the weather. There are a lot of good players to be around, and surrounding yourself with top players is really, really beneficial for my young career. I had a fun experience competing out there.

CanalTenis: How would you assess your recent results and current form?

Aryan: Not the best, I would say. I’ve had some tough results last year, and it is not my best year as of now. But I’m just trying to battle it out. It’s a grind, it’s a process, so I’m enjoying every part of it. I wouldn’t say I’m having a tough time, but I’m just trying to survive and find the positives out of it.

CanalTenis: Being an Indian player, is it tough staying away from home for so long?

Aryan: Staying away from home for such a long time is a tough thing to do. But I’ve got good teammates and a good coaching staff around me. I had a really good time there, so thanks to the people around me.

CanalTenis: Do you feel the pressure of being viewed as one of India’s rising stars in singles?

Aryan: I’m almost 20, so I wouldn’t say I’m one of the rising stars there. I feel like there are better players around me right now who have a much bigger name than me in India. But being young in India, not a lot of singles players are out there doing that. It’s a fun feeling competing in singles. There’s no pressure; I’m just out here to compete for myself and enjoy playing tennis. I wouldn’t say it’s a pressure, it’s a privilege.

CanalTenis: Do you see yourself as a role model for the next generation yet?

Aryan: I have a long way to go. First of all, I would like to build my character. Being a role model is a far story. I still have to work a lot on myself, so I wouldn’t say I have that thought in my mind right as of now.

CanalTenis: What is your ultimate goal in the sport?

Aryan: Having fun on the court is my biggest dream. Results come and go, rankings come and go. I know a lot of good players who haven’t reached a high ranking, but people do remember their names. I want people to think about me as a fun player to watch out for. That’s my goal: enjoy the process.

CanalTenis: Any final message for the fans back home?

Aryan: Keep supporting Indian tennis. I hope there are a lot of young players coming up and competing in singles. That is pretty important for our country because we haven’t produced a lot of top singles players lately. I just want to inspire the next generation and the next batch of players after me.