That Yuki and his partner Vijayant Malick lost the battle to the Kiwi pair of Mackenzie-Tearney rather tamely at 4-6, 0-6 is another matter. But on Friday, no such heroics were required as it was almost a walk in the park for Yuki as he beat Alexandros-Ferdinandos Georgoudas of Germany 6-3, 6-1 in the Australian Open final.

When contacted, the city-based big names of tennis expressed their happiness. They were all in agreement on one thing — that Yuki could fill the void in the days to come for a quality Indian singles player.

Nandan Bal, coach of Indian Davis Cup team, says, “Yuki has a long way to go. His determination and knowledge of the game are his strong points. He picked up from his sisters, Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri. I remember him practising after he was badly tired and was on saline because he suffered food poisioning and it was this determination that helped him to win the silver at CYG men’s double despite a twisted ankle.”

According to Bal, what Yuki needs to develop is a signature shot, which will take time. “I feel he needs to put some flesh on his body as that will make him resistant to tiredness and tear of muscle.”

Gaurav Natekar, chief executive officer of Mahesh Bhupati Tennis Academy, is convinced that Yuki is a great prospect for India. “Yuki plays at our academy in Delhi and I have always seen that extra bit of determination in him. His winning of the Orange Bowl last year was the turning point for him. And in sports starting early is never bad. He has a long way to go and he has ample time”

Former Davis Cup player, Nitten Kirrtane calls Yuki a wonder kid. “Singles title is a big thing, that too at Australian Open. I have played with him and seen him practising — he is a dedicated player. He’s also a down-to-earth person. Despite travelling extensively, he keeps his cool and concentrates on his game. I expect this victory would not only improve India’s position in the world ranking but also prove to be an encouraging factor for the budding players. We need to support him so that he fulfils India’s need for a quality singles’ player.”