US Open 2026: Bhambri, Chandrasekar out; Balaji lone Indian left
Synopsis
Yuki Bhambri and Anirudh Chandrasekar faced first-round exits in the men's doubles at the US Open 2026. Both players and their respective partners were defeated, leaving N Sriram Balaji as the only Indian tennis player still in contention.
India’s Yuki Bhambri and Anirudh Chandrasekar suffered first-round exits in the men’s doubles at the US Open 2026 in New York on Saturday, leaving N Sriram Balaji as the country’s lone player remaining in the tournament, as per Olympics.com.
Bhambri and Venus's Close Contest
The world No. 32 Bhambri and New Zealand’s Michael Venus went down to American duo Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac 7(7)-6(4), 7(7)-6(3) in a closely contested match lasting one hour and 43 minutes, as per Olympics.com.
Neither pair conceded a break in the opening set, with Seggerman and Trhac prevailing 7-4 in the tie-break to take the advantage. Bhambri and Venus made the first move in the second set, breaking the American duo in the second game and holding serve to establish a 4-1 lead. However, Seggerman and Trhac fought back to level the set at 4-4, forcing another tie-break. The American pair then asserted their dominance in the second tie-break, winning it 7-3 to seal a straight-sets victory.
Chandrasekar Exits in Three Sets
Meanwhile, world No. 84 Anirudh Chandrasekar and Belarusian partner Ivan Liutarevich, ranked 89th in men’s doubles, suffered a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat to Great Britain’s Arthur Fery and Joshua Paris.
Balaji Remains India's Sole Hope
With Bhambri, Chandrasekar and Niki Poonacha eliminated, Paris 2024 Olympian N Sriram Balaji remains the only Indian tennis player still in contention at the US Open. Balaji and his American partner Evan King fought off six match points to defeat Dutch duo Sander Arends and David Pel in the opening round on Friday. They will face 12th seeds Hugo Nys of Monaco and France’s Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the second round on Sunday.