Delhi-lad Yuki Bhambri emerges as World #2 in ITF Juniors

Delhi-lad Yuki Bhambri capped off his campaign, in the 2008 ITF Junior Circuit, in sensational style by winning the singles’ title at the Orange Bowl, his second Grade A ITF tournament win. Yuki beat Jarmere Jenkins 6-1, 6-3 in the finals on Sunday. Yuki also reached the doubles finals but lost. This performance has made Yuki the World’s #2 Junior Player (as per the ITF Rankings that were released yesterday).

Yuki started the year with a bang: making a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open Boys’ Singles where he lost to eventual junior champion Bernard Tomic.. However, he was not able to build on the early momentum in the other Grand Slams. He lost in the first round of the French Open Boys’ Singles and Wimbledon Boys’ Singles. He made it to the second round of U.S. Open Boys’ Singles losing to his doubles partner Filip Krajinovic.

Success eluded Yuki in the doubles format too. He played in three Junior Grand Slam Doubles tournaments partnering with Karunuday Singh at the Australian Open Boys’ Doubles losing in the first round, Ilija Vujic at the French Open Boys’ Doubles losing in the second round, and Filip Krajinovic at the U.S. Open Boys’ Doubles losing in the first round.

Yuki finally got back to form at the Junior Davis Cup in Mexico in September, where he led India to the semifinals. The tournament was a turning point for the lad. He then went on to win a Grade A ITF tournament, Osaka Mayor’s Cup in Japan (Oct 6 to Oct 12), and followed it up by winning the Asia/Oceania Championships in Indonesia (Oct 28 to Nov 2). He then got back into action earlier this month at the Eddie Herr Cup (Dec 1 to Dec 7) where he lose to the eventual champion, Alex Domijan, in the semifinals. And capped the season by making history as the first Indian winner of the prestigious Orange Bowl (Dec 7 to Dec 14) at the young age of 16. Orange Bowl is the biggest ITF juniors event after the Slams.

Yuki, who trains at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA) in Florida, will now cease to be a Junior (except for the Grand Slams). He has been promoted in the NBTA and will now be playing with the Top 100 guys. Also, he has received a qualifying wild card for the Sony Ericsson Open, an ATP Masters Series Event, to be played March 2009.

Rising up through the ATP Rankings is an altogether different ball-game and our best wishes are with Yuki.