Yuki Bhambri Targets Asian Games Medal as India Campaign Begins
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri is preparing for his third Asian Games appearance, with the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games offering another opportunity to compete for a medal for his country.
Bhambri believes that experience on the professional tennis circuit will not necessarily determine the outcome at the Asian Games. Instead, he said managing pressure and performing consistently will be important when representing India.
“From past experiences, I don’t think it matters that much,” Bhambri told Olympics.com.
“When it comes to playing for the country, you’ve just got to be able to handle the nerves and the pressure that come with it and try and do your best.”
The Indian player added that previous performances on the tour can become less relevant once a player steps onto the court representing their country.
Asian Games Offer Special Opportunity
Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be Bhambri’s third appearance at the Asian Games. He also highlighted the importance of the continental event because tennis players have relatively few opportunities to compete for medals while representing their country.
“At any stage, whenever you’re playing this, you would like to win a medal,” Bhambri said.
He noted that the Olympics and Asian Games provide important opportunities for tennis players to compete for their nations.
Bhambri also praised the RoundGlass facility, describing it as a comprehensive setup that can support athletes from different sports and contribute to the development of Indian sporting talent.
Bhambri Completes Final Preparations
The Indian tennis player is now preparing to join his teammates in Japan before beginning his campaign on Sunday.
“I’ve got a lot of tennis in the last week or so,” he said. “I’m looking forward to linking up with my teammates.”
Bhambri added that he would use the remaining days to complete his preparations before competition begins.
The doubles competition will also provide some familiarity for the Indian player, as the format includes a match tie-break instead of a deciding third set, similar to the system used on the ATP Tour.
Having regularly competed under similar conditions in professional tennis, Bhambri expects to make only minor adjustments for his latest Asian Games appearance.
