Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti’s dream run at the Australian Open 2025 came to a halt as they succumbed to local wildcards Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton on January 14. The Indian-French duo faced their Australian counterparts on Court 8 of Melbourne Park, where they were dealt a straight-sets defeat, concluding their campaign with scores of 2-6, 6-7.
The first round match lasted one hour and twenty minutes, during which Bhambri and Olivetti struggled with errors, failing to convert any of their three break points. They committed five double faults, highlighting their difficulty against the more composed Australian pair, who only saw one double fault throughout the match.
The defeat was disappointing for the pair, particularly for Bhambri, who is well-known for his silver medal win at the 2010 Youth Olympics. The 32-year-old Indian, alongside the 33-year-old Olivetti, fell behind early, getting broken on Bhambri’s serve to give Schoolkate and Walton the upper hand. Despite showing resilience later in the set, the duo could not recover from the initial setback, losing the first set decisively.
Things seemed to improve for Bhambri and Olivetti as the second set unfolded. They held serve effectively for most of the game, showcasing their potential to turn things around. Unfortunately, their chances dwindled when they struggled to convert break points early on, eventually allowing the Australian team to pull away with stunning backhand winners and aggressive play.
With the match reaching its climax, the second set went to a tiebreaker after both pairs held serve down the stretch. The Australians surged through the tiebreaker with focused energy, eventually winning 7-3 to seal the match and send their opponents packing from the first Grand Slam of the year.
Following this first-round exit, India’s hopes now shift to pairings like N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli. Balaji will team up with Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, and Bollipalli is set to partner with Ryan Seggerman from the USA. Both combinations are slated for action on January 15, and they represent the last hopes for Indian supporters at this stage of the tournament.
Bhambri’s post-match comments reflected upon the missed opportunities throughout their match, as what could have been decisive breaks slipped through their fingers. “We had opportunities…but we couldn’t convert our break points,” he expressed, underscoring the frustration of not capitalizing on key situations.
The Australian Open is notorious for its surprises and challenges, and this year is no exception, as seasoned players face stiff competition from both novices and local talents. Bhambri’s defeat follows another setback for the Indian contingent as Rohan Bopanna also experienced first-round elimination just one day earlier, joining the unfortunate ranks of Indian players seeing their hopes dashed prematurely.
While Bhambri and Olivetti may not have added their names to the history books this time, they showcased moments of resilience, particularly through their grit shown in the second set. With another year of tennis tournaments underway, both players may take away valuable lessons and experience from this encounter to build upon for future events.
Fans back home can still catch the remaining matches of the tournament, as broadcasting rights have been secured by Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available via the SonyLIV app. Despite early eliminations, the excitement surrounding the Australian Open continues, bringing hope for new stories as the tournament progresses.
For now, eyes will remain on Balaji and Bollipalli, as they take to the courts on January 15, striving to carry forward the Indian banner at one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments globally.