At just 17 years old, Hitesh Chauhan has made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the second round of the French Open Juniors since 2016. However, his ambitions extend far beyond winning a Grand Slam; he dreams of reigniting India’s passion for tennis. In a conversation with IANS, the young prodigy expressed his aspiration of representing India in Grand Slams and breaking into the top 30 of the ATP rankings. For Chauhan, it’s not merely about personal accolades—it’s about inspiring a generation and reviving national interest in tennis. “It’s going to be a long, tough journey. I don’t think I’m even halfway there, but through it all, I just want to make my country, my parents, my coaches, Roundglass—everyone—proud. I want every Indian to see tennis. I want them to see an Indian playing Grand Slams, being in the top 50, and top 30 in the ATP rankings. “My goal is to bring tennis back to life in India—not at the level of cricket, of course—but to give it the recognition it deserves. I’m ready for the competition, ready for the hard work. And I’m sure I’ll be in the top 30—that’s my goal,” said Hitesh. In the first round of the French Open Junior men’s doubles, Hitesh, alongside his teammate Haydar Cem Gokpinar from Turkey, triumphed over Sweden’s Ludvig Fredrik Hede and Switzerland’s Flynn Thomas with a score of 7-5, 6-3. This marked Hitesh’s first victory at a Grand Slam tournament. “It was an awesome experience over there. Playing with the champs over there, with the ATP players, No. 1 Jannik Sinner, (Carlos) Alcaraz, and all. Then playing where all the ATP players play, on the historic courts over there at the French Open. And playing with an amazing crowd over there. I will never forget this experience in my whole life,” Hitesh said. In a nearly poetic twist, Hitesh’s first Grand Slam victory coincided with the tournament that honoured his idol, Rafael Nadal, for his outstanding career. Hitesh spoke about how thinking of Nadal inspired him to give his best. “Rafa is an inspiration. I always thought that one day I would want to be like him. So I have to face these challenges in my life. That also motivated me a lot, thinking about him, thinking about how he played with this much crowd. He also played the French Open when he was 17 years old,” he said. Hitesh’s journey at the tournament ended with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat against the American duo of Noah Johnston and Benjamin Willwerth. Despite the setback, Hitesh showcased remarkable resilience, fighting for each point even as he cramped up in the second set. He shared a touching conversation with his coach, Aditya Sachdeva from Roundglass Academy, who expressed immense pride in his performance. “When I called him after I lost the match, he was like, ‘In my mind, you have won. In my heart, you have won. The match you played today was just incredible. I’m so proud of you. The whole team, the whole academy, is so proud of you. This, I would not count as a loss. For me, it is a win that you played, even after you were injured. In the third set, you were 4-2 up, and then you got injured. You didn’t leave. You didn’t give up and you gave up every single, every single percentage of yours,” Hitesh revealed. Following his memorable experience at the French Open, Hitesh is now gearing up for the pinnacle of tennis – Wimbledon. He is currently training on the grass courts at the Chandigarh Club, preparing for his debut on this surface. “The preparation for Wimbledon is going pretty well. I’m here in Chandigarh, getting ready for it. It’s a blessing that we have some grass courts here at the Chandigarh Club, so I’ve been able to practice before heading to Wimbledon. I’ve also been doing fitness work on the grass, focusing on my movement. “I’m starting to feel comfortable, and that’s my main goal—to move really well on grass, especially since it’ll be my first time playing on it. The game is all in the mind, but physical preparation is crucial. That’s my focus for these two or three weeks leading up to Wimbledon,” he said. Before stepping onto the iconic courts of Wimbledon, Hitesh will compete in the British Open Roehampton, which he considers a ‘do-or-die’ tournament. “It’s a very important tournament for me because if you reach the semifinals in singles or doubles, you can get a special exemption into the main draw of Wimbledon. Singles is my priority since doubles don’t count as much. So I have to give everything in that tournament. I have to reach the semifinals, no matter what. It’s do or die,” Hitesh concluded. (with IANS inputs)