“Most of us are probably sitting at a career high now, due to the Doubles Dream Project” – ATP 500 Dubai Doubles Champion Yuki Bhambri

In the competitive world of professional tennis, breakthrough moments often arrive when least expected. For India’s Yuki Bhambri, that moment came at the Dubai Tennis Championships 2025, where he claimed his first-ever ATP 500 Doubles Title, alongside Australian singles specialist Alexei Popyrin. Their partnership, formed almost by chance, culminated in a nail-biting final that saw them save multiple match points before claiming the championship trophy.

Pursuant to their dramatic victory, Harini from ITD connected with Bhambri, as he reflected on this achievement that adds a significant milestone to his career. Relaxed yet insightful, the 32-year-old opened up about the high-stakes final, his unexpected partnership with Popyrin, and what this means for the broader Doubles Dream of India Project.

Harini: Yuki, thank you for joining us today. First off, huge congratulations on the Title win! What are your thoughts on the Final? What were the key moments where you felt the momentum shift?

Yuki: There was very little, I think right till the end, very little to really believe we were going to win that because we were always down in the scoreboard. Down the first set, had a few chances to win the second set when we went up a break early in the set and then as well while serving for the set. But I think Henry and Harry both, since last year, have been exceptionally good at this where they’ve been able to come back on numerous occasions and are able to fight their way back. And I think that’s what’s made them a top team and a two-time Grand Slam champion. So it’s quite difficult. And then right towards the end as well, we were down in the (2^nd set) tiebreak and to save multiple match points to be able to win that. So I really think, I think maybe that was it where the momentum shifted. I think we really started to believe then. We were very confident going into tie breaks, especially super breaker, as we’d won all of them previously. We knew we were able to cope with the pressure and we were able to play freely and play good. So we knew that it would require a big effort from them to try and overcome us. So I guess the second set tie break really turned for us into really believing that we can now finally have a chance at winning this match.

Harini: What was the game plan coming in, given that your opponents had won the Australian Open just earlier this year?

Yuki: It’s a little bit different when you play with a singles player. There’s not a whole lot of strategy that gets involved. You know, he’s new to Doubles, doesn’t play much, but of course a good tennis player overall. So Alexei serves well and really is very good off the ground strokes as well. So a lot of times you just have to let them do their thing. You know, let them play from their side of the court, let them play according to what they feel and not strategize as much. So a lot of it, I think really was to just be free of that mindset and to sort of just see how the points develop, how we go. And if you notice, most of the time we ended up losing the first set, I think, because we were really just trying to figure out what’s good and what works for us, and the opponents are pinning us down. So I think as the match sort of progressed, we were more aware of the situation and raring to get better and aware of what the opponents were doing.

Harini: How long do you know each other and how did this partnership come about?

Yuki: I knew his coach Neville from the time I was playing singles. He had coached Kevin Anderson before, and then he coached Hyeon Chung as well. So I’ve known him for a while. And I’ve sort of obviously seen Alexei on the tour, playing singles and doing well for the last two or three years. So I knew he lives in Dubai and I sort of just took a chance hoping he might want to play some doubles since he’s at home that weekend. There’s a bit of a break before he plays in the Indian Wells. And I think he was gracious enough to accept and he was very excited to play as well. It just worked in our favor.

Harini: What do you think clicked in terms of your game styles?

Yuki: Because he’s such a good player, such a good ball striker, very good server as well, I think we’ve sort of just been able to take advantage of that, and not really just get down ourselves, and not beat ourselves out of the match. I mean we both make a lot of balls, we both make it hard for our opponents to play and that’s what made the difference. And I think he also really improved it and got a lot more confidence as each and every match progressed. And we started to play more and more as a doubles team and not just as two individuals playing together.

Harini: Will we see more of this partnership in the future, or was this a one-off pairing?

Yuki: Maybe. He was pretty excited after winning. So, you know, there might be a possibility in the future as well to play together. And yeah, why not?

Harini: ⁠What plans next in terms of scheduling? Will you be travelling to Indian Wells? You’re the 4th alternate there

Yuki: I will be, yes, I am making a trip to Indian Wells. I hope that I can get a chance to play, but I am taking that chance. I think I’m playing well and it’s important, I think, for me to be able to play, you know, these events. You want to try, that’s always the goal for every player — to compete at, you know, the biggest events. And Indian Wells and Miami are definitely on the radar for me, want to do well. So hopefully I get another opportunity there as well to play.

Harini: One last question — in terms of rankings, you’ve now broken into Doubles Top 40. How does that feel?

Yuki: Great. It’s a great reflection of all the work that’s been done behind the scenes by the coaches and trainers as part of the, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Doubles Dream project. Each, most of us are probably sitting at career high now. Since the past two years, three years now, since we’ve had that support, I think it’s made a big, big difference for every doubles tennis player out there. So it just shows the whole Indian ecosystem that there’s a way to do it. We’ve always said about this, you’ve always said we need the right guidance and the right support. And if our big weights in the association need any more clarity or need any more assurances, then I think the Doubles Dream is what everyone should sort of look out for and watch on how to help Indian tennis move forward.

The interview with Yuki Bhambri reveals not just the tactical masterclass of their victory, but also the unexpected chemistry between two players from different tennis cultures. The significance of this Championship Win extends beyond rankings points and prize money—it provides real-world inspiration for the next generation of Indian Doubles players. With the Doubles Dream of India Project gaining momentum and his partnership with Popyrin showing immediate results, Bhambri enters the next phase of the season with both confidence and purpose.