Yuki derives satisfaction on fitness, game post Taiwan success

He has endured a season marred by several injury setbacks but on the recovery path now, rising Indian tennis star Yuki Bhambri says he has given "proof" of his improving fitness standards by playing three matches in a single day and beating a top-100 player in the process.
Yuki's season has been marred by an ankle problem and several other niggles, making it a stop-start year for him but the youngster has produced tremendous results in the last two months to show that he is on the right track.
At the Kaohsiung Challenger in Taiwan, Yuki stormed his way into the singles final from the qualifying event, beating several higher-ranked players in the process.

On the final day of the event, he played three matches, including singles and doubles finals. He beat American world number 88 Jack Sock after a fierce semifinal battle, which lasted close to three hours.
After that energy-sapping semifinal, the 21-year old lost the final to World no. 64 Yen-Hsun Lu and the doubles final too. However, the Delhi youngster gained a lot of confidence about his fitness and the game after being on court for more than five hours.
"I have been playing the Challengers because I feel I have the game to play and perform at this level. All the wins in this tournament have been against good players some of whom I have lost to before," he said.

"Beating Sock from a set and break down was very satisfying and morale boosting, so these wins have given me the proof that I am on the right track and have the game to play at this level," Yuki, who gained 190 places in ranking charts after Taiwan event to be 287, told PTI from Kuala Lumpur.
Yuki said had rain not forced back-to-back singles semifinals and finals, he could have challenged Lu better in the title fight.
"I already had a long week as I had started by playing three qualifying matches. And I ended up playing two top 100 players in one day. I am sure I could have played a better match and put up a much better fight had I not spent three hours on court for my semi-final," he said.