Yuki Bhambri and Anirudh Chandrasekar Exit US Open 2026, N Sriram Balaji Remains

In a disappointing turn of events at the US Open 2026, Indian tennis players Yuki Bhambri and Anirudh Chandrasekar were eliminated in the first round. Bhambri, alongside Michael Venus, lost a close match to American opponents, while Chandrasekar fell to a British duo. With both players out, N Sriram Balaji remains the only Indian competitor, having fought through a challenging match to advance. Balaji's next challenge will be against a seeded pair, raising hopes for Indian tennis fans.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 6, 2026, 15:56 IST

First-Round Exits for Indian Players

In the men's doubles at the US Open 2026 held in New York, India's Yuki Bhambri and Anirudh Chandrasekar faced early exits on Saturday, leaving N Sriram Balaji as the sole Indian competitor still in the tournament.

Bhambri and Venus in a Tight Match

Yuki Bhambri, currently ranked 32nd in the world, teamed up with New Zealand's Michael Venus but lost to the American pair of Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac with scores of 7(7)-6(4) and 7(7)-6(3). The match was tightly contested, lasting one hour and 43 minutes.

Both teams held serve throughout the first set, leading to a tie-break where Seggerman and Trhac edged out with a 7-4 win. In the second set, Bhambri and Venus initially took control by breaking their opponents early, establishing a 4-1 lead. However, the American duo rallied back to equalize at 4-4, ultimately winning the second tie-break 7-3 to secure their victory.

Chandrasekar's Three-Set Battle

Anirudh Chandrasekar, ranked 84th, along with his Belarusian partner Ivan Liutarevich, who is ranked 89th, faced a tough match against Great Britain's Arthur Fery and Joshua Paris. They were defeated with scores of 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

Balaji's Continued Journey

With the elimination of Bhambri, Chandrasekar, and Niki Poonacha, N Sriram Balaji stands as the last hope for India in the tournament. Balaji, who competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics, and his American partner Evan King managed to fend off six match points to win against the Dutch team of Sander Arends and David Pel in their opening match on Friday. They are set to face the 12th-seeded duo of Hugo Nys from Monaco and Edouard Roger-Vasselin from France in the second round on Sunday.