"A special memory for sure" - Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan on his first-ever Grand Slam victory alongside Sriram Balaji at the Australian Open

Tamil Nadu tennis player Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan spoke about his special win alongside Sriram Balaji at the Australian Open 2023. The previous year marked a resurgence for Jeevan.

Jeevan, along with partner Sriram Balaji, defied the odds by securing a victory in their challenging opening tie at the Australian Open last year against the formidable duo of Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.

The pair continued their impressive run at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, putting an end to Jeevan's four-year wait for a main draw match at these prestigious events.

Jeevan was a part of Delhi Binny's Brigade in TPL 2023. He played a crucial role in helping his side finish fourth in the points table with 201 points.

The Delhi-based franchise put out a tough fight against Bengaluru Mavericks in the semis but had to go back with a 41-35 defeat.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan shared valuable insights into his experience at the Tennis Premier League (TPL) and discussed his thoughts on the potential growth of Indian tennis.

Q: How has your experience been in the Tennis Premier League?

Malaika Arora and Sneh Binny in TPL Auction event (Image via Bollywood ki Baatein)

A: I love it. I'm very happy to play for Delhi (Delhi Binny's Brigade). Sneh Binny (Owner of Delhi) is a great guy, very supportive, whether we win or lose. I'm lucky to have good teammates.

They don't put a lot of pressure on us to perform. We had fun, and I think you could see it in the way Dennis and I played the last points. You know, we were smiling. We were enjoying. We were not thinking about winning or losing. We were in the moment. And, yeah, I think that was what helped us in those crucial moments in the doubles.

Q: Tell us about your partnership with Sriram Balaji at the Australian Open. What was it like winning against seeded players?

A: Yeah, it was great. Balaji and I were able to win. It was my first time winning a grand slam, a main draw match against seeded players as well, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.

A special memory for sure. Happy with the way I'm playing right now. Very excited also to be starting a partnership with Arjun Kadhe for next season. And, yeah, I think the key that I've been working on for the whole season has been conscious breathing, which is, I don't know how to explain it.

You just become very aware of taking deep breaths, and letting go of all the tension in your body, and I think conscious breathing is something that you need to work on as an athlete.

And that's very, very important in TPL-type format because it's high-pressure every point, and you need to figure out how to let go of the nerves and play the next point. And, yeah, conscious breathing is a very important thing for tennis.

Q: Playing in different tennis events, including TPL, what challenges and benefits do you see in various formats?

A: Yeah, I think leagues are the future of tennis, to be honest. It's fun. It's exciting. We are getting a completely new market of people who'd like to watch tennis. All my friends who don't follow tennis love watching TPL because it's not too long, not too short. It's action-packed. And, yeah, from my perspective as a tennis player, it helps me get better under pressure because you have to know what you're doing at all times.

Yeah, it's great preparation for the next tennis season. We did this last year as well, and I remember Balaji and I were both part of TPL, and it helped us with the Pune Open to start the first week of the season where we made the final. So, yeah, these leagues help improve your clutch performances under pressure.

Q: How do leagues like TPL contribute to the growth of Indian tennis, especially with the support from young fans?

A: Yeah, I think the leagues, like I said, are the future of tennis. It's gonna help all these kids who are coming out. I was telling Dennis and Sahaja, you know if one of these kids can take a tennis ball or wristband or something, create a memory, you never know the passion that you can spark from these kids.

And it's so nice to see that every day we've had so many kids come and watch the matches. Yeah, I think this is a great way to promote this sport in India.

Q: What improvements do you think can enhance the development of Indian tennis players on the global stage?

A: That's a long question. Let's leave that one. That's a tough one. Yeah, I can go on and on on that.

Q: In the fast-paced TPL format, how do you handle the mental challenges of adapting quickly during matches?

A: Yeah, that's why I think it's a mental aspect, right? Because you have to adapt to the situation quickly. I'm lucky that I've also done it a few times now. I know the importance of each point. It might have a bad first 10 points, but it can't affect the next 10.

I think that's what you can take away from the league. It's a challenge. You figure out what works, and problem-solve. This is the reason why tennis players turn professional. Why did you choose this sport? Your job is to figure out solutions on your own for the most part when you play tennis. And that's my outlook for this league. You figure out what needs to be done on a given day, and problems are solved.

Q: How would you describe the camaraderie within the Delhi Binny's Brigade team during TPL?

A: Honestly, I met Dennis just the day before the league started and even Sahaja just right before the league. Just great people. I enjoy winning and playing with them.

Each one of us has stepped up on different days and helped out the team. And I think you can see that in the way we are on and off the court. Sneh has been awesome too. It's just a very, very good atmosphere. By far, my best experience in TPL has been with the Delhi Binny's Brigade.

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This article was done with inputs from Meeth Agrawal.