🏆 Praneel Sharma: The J100 New Delhi Champion on Grand Slams and the Road to Pro Tennis
Pune, India — Praneel Sharma, the 17-year-old rising star of Indian tennis, had a high note last week by clinching the prestigious J100 title in New Delhi. Indian Tennis Daily caught up with the young champion in Pune to discuss his monumental title run, his training setup, and his ambitious goals for the transition into professional tennis.
Reflecting on the Title Run
Indian Tennis Daily (ITD): Hey Praneel, thank you so much for talking to Indian Tennis Daily. Firstly, congratulations on the J100 title. What are your thoughts on your title run last week?
Praneel Sharma (PS): Thank you. It was a really great run for me. Throughout the year, I was trying really hard to do well in the J100s, but I wasn’t able to do it. So, at the year-end in India, it was a really great run. I didn’t drop a set before the semifinals and then played a really good four-and-a-half-hour battle in the finals against my fellow mate, Aashravya Mehra. It was a great battle, and I loved it.
The Coaching and Training Setup
ITD: Can you share details about your coaching setup? Where do you train, and who is part of your support team?
PS: I train under Aditya Sachdeva sir at RoundGlass Tennis Academy. I’m fortunate to have a full support team. My traveling and personal coaches are Ranjeet Sir, Hardeep Sir, Mahindra sir, and Sukhwant sir. My physios are Poonia Ma’am, Deeksha Ma’am, and Maha Ma’am. It’s a great setup.
ITD: You are currently in Pune. What do you think of the playing conditions here?
PS: The courts are really good. The balls are slow, which I think is perfect. The serves are going great. The weather is good, and overall, it’s the perfect setup.
Future Goals: Grand Slams and the Pro Transition
ITD: What are your tennis goals for the next season?
PS: For next season, my goals are ambitious. I want to at least play the junior Grand Slams. The main focus, however, is on making the transition from juniors to professional tennis. I plan to play the Futures and the ATP Challengers to start building my ranking.
⚡️ Rapid Fire with Praneel Sharma
| Question | Praneel’s Answer |
| Your Hobbies? | Football. I love football. |
| Favorite Club? | Barcelona. |
| Favorite Travel Destination? (India & Abroad) | India: Goa (I’ve never been, but want to!). Abroad: Barcelona, Spain. |
| A place you haven’t visited but would love to? | Paris. |
| Favorite Tournament amongst the ones you’ve played? | J100 New Delhi, because I won it! |
| Favorite Cuisine and Dish? | Thai Cuisine. Specifically, Thai Curry. |
| A Song on Repeat Mode? | “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. |
| Favorite Movie (Hollywood/Bollywood)? | Coach Carter and Rocky (Any of the Rocky films). |
| Your Dream Opponent? | Jannik Sinner. |
| A Loss Which Hurt You the Most? | In Ghana, my first J100 quarterfinals. I was 5-3 up in the third set against a French guy and lost from there. |
| A Win Which Gave You the Most Satisfaction? | Last week’s finals [at the J100 New Delhi]. |
