17-year-old battles hard at Roland-Garros, now eyes glory in doubles with Turkish partner
India’s rising tennis star Hitesh Chauhan wrapped up a gritty singles campaign at the Junior French Open with a second-round exit — but the fight isn’t over yet. Chauhan remains in contention in the doubles draw, where he and Turkish partner HC Gokpinar are gunning for a deep run.
Singles: A Promising Start, A Tough Finish
Chauhan made a strong impression in his Grand Slam main-draw debut.
In the first round, he pulled off a stunning upset over Brazil’s Cunha Winheski De Lima, ranked No. 63 in the ITF junior world rankings.
However, he ran into a tougher challenge in the Round of 32, falling to Sweden’s Benjamin Willwerth in straight sets.
The loss may have ended his singles campaign, but it showcased his potential on clay.
Doubles: A Team to Watch
Chauhan isn’t done in Paris — his doubles journey is just heating up.
Teaming up with HC Gokpinar of Turkey, the duo delivered a confident first-round performance.
They defeated the French-Australian pair of Louis-Félix Hede and Fletcher Thomas 7–5, 6–3.
Next up: a high-stakes clash against the 7th-seeded pair of Neal Johnston and Benjamin Willwerth — a shot at redemption for Chauhan.
The Bigger Picture: Indian Tennis on the Rise
Chauhan’s Grand Slam debut is part of a growing wave of Indian talent making noise on the global stage.
His poise under pressure and adaptability on clay bode well for future junior and senior events.
With more Grand Slams and international exposure ahead, Chauhan’s name is one to remember.
Hitesh Chauhan may be out of the singles race at Roland-Garros, but his campaign is far from over. As the doubles draw unfolds, Indian fans have every reason to stay tuned.
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