Seventeen-year-old Hitesh Chauhan, one of India’s rising tennis players, featured in the main draw of the US Open Junior Championships 2025 in New York, where he went down in the opening round to the local lad Jerrid Gaines Jr.
Chauhan, who trains at the Roundglass Tennis Academy in Punjab, earned his place in the draw after coming through the qualifiers. Currently ranked World No. 75 in the ITF Junior Rankings, he has steadily built a reputation for his resilience and discipline on the junior circuit.
Earlier this year, Chauhan became the first Indian since 2016 to reach the second round of the Boys’ Singles at the French Open Juniors, marking a significant step in his career. He also bagged the Junior Doubles title at the ITF J100 event in Egypt.
Speaking to the International Tennis Federation during his campaign in New York, Chauhan said, “I feel proud that I’m representing my country here. It’s a beautiful thing to see more people take up the sport and feel motivated by our success. I want to achieve that and show what’s possible with hard work and the right support.”
The Punjab-born player, who picked up a racquet at the age of four, recalled how few around him shared his early interest in tennis.
“I liked it right away, but the level of interest in tennis wasn’t there for a lot of my friends. Honestly, there weren’t that many kids I knew who were really into sports, more into their studies,” he said.
Since joining the Roundglass Academy in 2021, Chauhan has been among the prominent names in India’s junior ranks. Looking ahead, he urged more youngsters to take up the sport.
“I think as more kids play in Grand Slams like this, it will motivate others to try. I think we do have good facilities and enough good players that training in India does make you a better player, we just need to get more kids making it at this level.”
Reflecting on his loss in New York, he admitted nerves played a part. “I think it wasn’t my day today, sometimes that happens in tennis. I was a bit nervous but all credit to him, he (Jerrid Gaines Jr.) played well,” he said.