Sporting a bright sky-blue and lemon-patterned t-shirt under the Sardinian sun, Indian doubles veteran and 2024 ATP 250 Hangzhou Open champion Vijay Sundar Prashanth stepped in front of the microphone for a lighthearted courtside rapid-fire Q&A during the 2026 Olbia Challenger in Italy. From weighing whether a third-set tiebreak is more nerve-wracking than a first date to confessing that he talks to himself off the court all the time and tears up during emotional movies, the 39-year-old Chennai native showed the warm, grounded humor that has made him a fan favorite on tour.
N. Vijay Sundar Prashanth — Player Profile At a Glance
IND · ATP Tour & Challenger Doubles VeteranLemons, Laughs, and Tiebreaks Over First Dates in Olbia
Life on the international tennis circuit involves tens of thousands of air miles, tight match turnarounds, and high-pressure deciding points every single week. Caught courtside in sunny Sardinia during the 2026 ATP Challenger 125 event in Olbia by tennis content creator Qba for his Behind The Court Q&A series, Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND, ATP Doubles 205) offered a refreshing glimpse into the personality behind the racket.
Asked right off the bat which tournament on the global calendar he enjoys playing the most, Prashanth did not hesitate to name the Australian Open—the Melbourne Park Happy Slam where he made his Grand Slam main-draw debut in January 2024. When the conversation shifted to what bothers him most on a tennis court, the mild-mannered Chennai pro kept his answer rooted in sportsmanship, noting that the single most annoying thing an opponent can do is disrespect fellow players.
Even his childhood ambitions followed a single-track devotion to the sport. Asked what he wanted to be growing up, Prashanth chuckled and apologized for giving what he called a boring answer: even as a kid, all he ever wanted to be was a professional tennis player.
“What is more stressful, a tiebreak or a first date? Oh, good question—very tough question! I think a tiebreak. And before we go, what should you wish me? Just wish my family well. That’s all.”
The rapid-fire round quickly turned into a comedy of relatable confessions. Asked whether he ever talks to himself away from the tennis court, Prashanth grinned and admitted that he does it all the time. He also pleaded guilty to occasionally typing out a long string of laughs on his phone while keeping a completely straight, serious face, and shared without hesitation that he cries watching movies a lot of times.
Years of living out of a tennis bag across Europe, Asia, and Australia have also reshaped his travel habits. While he used to prefer the window seat on flights earlier in his career, the veteran doubles specialist noted with a laugh that those days are over—he is strictly an aisle-seat traveler now, fueled by coffee rather than tea. And given the choice between spending a full month without a coach or a month without his cell phone, Prashanth called it an easy decision, happily tossing the phone aside for thirty days of digital peace.
Every Question and Answer From the Rapid-Fire Interview
| # | Topic | Interviewer’s Question | Vijay Sundar Prashanth’s Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Favorite Event | Which is your favorite tournament you like to play the most? | “Oh… I enjoy playing Australian Open, so [Australian Open].” |
| Q2 | On-Court Pet Peeve | What’s the most annoying thing an opponent can do? | “Annoying thing for me is… I think disrespecting the players. That’s annoying.” |
| Q3 | Childhood Dream | What did you want to be when you were a kid? | “A kid? Unfortunately, a boring answer—as a kid I wanted to always be a tennis player.” |
| Q4 | Inner Monologue | Do you sometimes talk to yourself off the court? | “All the time.” |
| Q5 | Texting Habits | Do you type ‘hahaha’ with a straight, serious face? | “Uh… sometimes, yes.” |
| Q6 | Movie Nights | Do you ever cry watching a movie? | “Oh yeah, of course. A lot of times, yes.” |
| Q7 | Tour Fuel | Coffee or tea? | “Uh, coffee.” |
| Q8 | Flight Routine | Window seat or aisle seat in the plane? | “I used to like window, but not anymore—aisle.” |
| Q9 | Pressure Test | What is more stressful: tiebreak or first date? | “Oh, good question… Very tough question! I think tiebreak.” |
| Q10 | Digital Detox | One month without coach or without cell phone? | “Uh, no, easy—one month without cell phone.” |
| Q11 | Eurojackpot Pick | Please give me a number from 1 to 50 for my Eurojackpot, because I want to become a millionaire. | “10.” |
| Q12 | Parting Wish | And before we go, what should I wish you? | “Uh… just wish my family well. That’s all.” |
Video: Vijay Sundar Prashanth’s Courtside Q&A in Olbia
Watch the full courtside rapid-fire interview with India’s Vijay Sundar Prashanth at the 2026 Olbia Challenger. Video courtesy of Qba (@qbadjoker) on Instagram.
2026 Olbia Challenger Men’s Doubles Result
The lighthearted Q&A took place during Prashanth’s appearance at the 2026 Olbia Challenger in Sardinia, Italy, where he teamed up with Dutch partner Mats Hermans (NED, ATP Doubles 247) in the men’s doubles main draw. In their Round of 16 clash on the outdoor hard courts, the Indo-Dutch pairing bowed out against Czechia’s David Poljak (CZE, ATP Doubles 126) and Dutchman Niels Visker (NED, ATP Doubles 154) by a 6-3, 6-3 scoreline.
| Round | Outcome | Matchup & ATP Doubles Rankings | Scoreline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | David Poljak CZE · ATP D 126 / Niels Visker NED · ATP D 154 d. Vijay Sundar Prashanth IND · ATP D 205 / Mats Hermans NED · ATP D 247 | 6-3, 6-3 |