'I belong to this level': Sriram Balaji opens up after French Open breakthrough

Chennai: The clay courts of Roland Garros have proved to be a happy hunting ground for Sriram Balaji. In 2024, the Indian doubles specialist reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time and soon after played in his maiden Olympic Games, partnering Rohan Bopanna in Paris. Two years later, Balaji scaled another career high at the French Open, advancing to his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the age of 36.Balaji combined with Marcelo Demoliner en route to his quarterfinal finish in Paris last week. The past few years have been productive for the Indian and he has been a regular at Grand Slams.“I believe that, considering how the last two years have gone and how my game has developed, I belong to this level. It is more than just the game. Everyone can hit forehands, backhands and volleys, but the mental aspect is what has played a major role,” Balaji, ranked world No. 63, told TOI.“Earlier, I was just focusing a lot on my game. I was giving importance to my forehand and backhand and just wanted to tune my technique. Then I realised it is more about execution, where and when I play certain shots, and I started paying more attention to it. Moreover, after my quarterfinal exit at the French Open, we (coach Raven Klaasen from the ‘Doubles Dreams of India’ project) spoke for one and a half hours about my game (body language, movement and other aspects).“At this level, talking tennis for an hour can be mentally draining; it is like playing a match for four hours. But discussing those details is what will take me to the next level. The work we put in off the court has been the difference.”Currently, Balaji is partnering veteran Rajeev Ram at the ATP 250 Libema Open. The unseeded duo advanced to the quarterfinals after getting the better of fourth seeds Evan King and Andre Goransson. It is the first time Balaji has teamed up with the American.However, Balaji will reunite with Demoliner for Wimbledon. The pair is set to compete in a few grass-court tournaments in the lead-up to the Grand Slam.“Grass also suits me well with my serve and aggressive play. I just have to take advantage of that. My aim is to get into the top 50 or 40 by the end of the year and if I have a good second half, then it is possible,” Balaji added.