Bhubaneswar : India’s Yuki Bhambri and New Zealand’s Michael Venus scripted history by reaching the men’s doubles semifinals at the 2025 US Open, marking Bhambri’s best Grand Slam result in his career. The 14th-seeded Indo-Kiwi pair upset the 11th seeds, Nikola Mektic and Rajeev Ram, in a thrilling three-set encounter 6-3, 7-6(8), 6-3 on Court 17 in New York.
Bhambri, India’s top-ranked doubles player at world No. 32, and Venus showcased great composure and skill to overcome the experienced duo of Mektic, a Wimbledon champion, and Ram, a US Open doubles three-time winner and two-time Olympic silver medalist. The match lasted nearly two hours and 40 minutes, testing the nerves of both pairs. Bhambri described the encounter as “nerve-wracking” given the vast experience of their opponents.
On their way to the semifinals, Bhambri and Venus had already stunned the fourth seeds Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz in the round of 16 with a straight-sets win of 6-4, 6-4. Before that, they had commanding wins over unseeded pairs, including a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Escobar/Reyes-Varela from Colombia and Mexico, respectively.
The semifinals will see Bhambri and Venus take on the British defending champions and sixth seeds, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, a formidable team known for their calm under pressure.
At 35, Bhambri’s late-career Grand Slam breakthrough has revived memories of India’s doubles legends and raised hopes of an Indian Grand Slam champion at the US Open for the first time since 2015.
This run represents a significant milestone for Bhambri and Indian tennis, with only one more win needed to reach the coveted final and contend for the title.
This inspiring journey highlights the power of perseverance and partnership on tennis’s biggest stages.
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