“I’m Pumped”: Dhakshineshwar Suresh Stuns World No. 103 Tabilo to Make Maiden ATP Main Draw Debut
WINSTON-SALEM, NC – In a career-defining performance, India’s Dhakshineshwar Suresh has qualified for his first-ever ATP Tour singles main draw at the Winston-Salem Open. The Wake Forest University senior orchestrated a brilliant comeback to defeat world number 103 and No. 3 qualifying seed, Alejandro Tabilo of Chile, 1-6, 7-6, 6-3 in a thrilling encounter.
Riding a wave of home-crowd support on the university courts he knows so well, Suresh overcame a nervy start to clinch the victory. After the match, a beaming Suresh sat down with Chak Koonapareddy of Indian Tennis Daily to discuss the monumental win, his mid-match turnaround, and his plans for the future.
Chak Koonapareddy, Indian Tennis Daily: Dhakshineshwar, a huge smile on your face, and understandably so. Now that you’ve had a moment, how does it feel to know you’re about to make your ATP singles main draw debut?
Dhakshineshwar Suresh: It’s a huge moment. To do it here on my home courts at Wake Forest makes it even more special. I fell short in the final qualifying round last year, so this was a big thing for me. Hearing the whole Wake Forest crowd chanting my name gave me so much confidence. I’m just pumped to make my debut in the main draw tomorrow and see how it goes. We’ll take it from there.
Indian Tennis Daily: Let’s talk about the match. You lost the first set but staged an incredible comeback. What was going through your mind and how did you manage to turn it around against a player like Tabilo?
Suresh: I went into the match a little nervous and tentative, not really going for my shots or serving my best. After I lost the first set, I took a five-minute break, went to the bathroom, and just focused on resetting mentally. I came back out determined to just play my game and not worry about the outcome. When you want to win too much, you can put so much pressure on yourself.
I decided to play more freely, kept following my serves, and managed to take it to a tiebreak, where one or two points made the difference. After winning the second set, I just kept that momentum going. I got the break, and maybe a little bit lucky on that breakpoint, but that’s tennis—anything can happen. I’m just glad it went my way.
Indian Tennis Daily: You had a great quarterfinal run at a Challenger event a few weeks ago. How much did that experience and your singles form this summer help you in the big moments today?
Suresh: I feel like I’ve been playing pretty good tennis recently. Coming into this match, I felt like I’ve been in this high-pressure situation before, so I wasn’t that nervous towards the end. It actually helped me a great deal because I had the experience from the past few weeks of playing these top guys. I would say that confidence and experience really helped me out today.
Indian Tennis Daily: You’re still playing college tennis. When are you set to finish?
Suresh: I have one more year. I’m a senior right now, so I’ll graduate in May 2026.
Indian Tennis Daily: And what are the plans after that? Is the goal to turn professional immediately?
Suresh: Yes, the plan is to turn pro right after I graduate. I’ll probably keep my base somewhere around here [in North Carolina] so it’s easier to stay with my coaches and continue to use the fantastic facilities at Wake Forest.
Indian Tennis Daily: Looking ahead, what are your primary goals for the next one to two years?
Suresh: For the next year, I would say the goal is to try and break into the Top 200. Obviously, it’s tough to play a full schedule of pro matches while you’re still in college, so I’ll do my best with the opportunities I get. But right after I graduate, the plan is to go at it full-time.
Indian Tennis Daily: One last question. Who was your tennis idol growing up?
Suresh: (Laughs) I think everyone knows the answer. It’s Roger, of course.
