Sriram Balaji is set to make his Olympic debut at the Paris Olympics 2024. He will pair up with Rohan Bopanna in the tennis double event.
Qualifying for the Olympics for the first time is a dream come true for any athlete. However, Balaji is not just done with Olympic selection. He is determined to win gold.
The 34-year-old from Coimbatore is not letting his Olympic debut get into his head and be complacent. He wants to go the extra mile to bring home the Olympic medal.
Sriram Balaji Aiming High
Sriram Balaji who is presently at his career high of 62nd ranking in doubles recently featured in the French Open in Paris.
“Last year I played couple of Slams. I did have the game, but was not sharp enough. The last couple of months I have been playing much better tennis. Earlier I would question myself, now I believe in myself much more, my confidence level has gone up. Right now, I am not getting satisfied (with) just making the entry, I want to win the medal,” he told a newspaper.
Also Read: Rohan Bopanna, Sumit Nagal Qualify For Paris Olympics 2024
Appearing at the Olympics has not been the objective of Sriram Balaji until recently. Bopanna suggested his name to the All India Tennis Association(AITA) as his doubles partner. He picked Balaji out of the multiple tennis players that were available.
“It is truly a dream come true for me, thanks to Bops (Bopanna). Yuki (Bhambri) is 10 spots ahead of me in rankings,” said Balaji.
The men’s doubles event at the Paris Olympics will feature 32 teams. The first to obtain quotas for their countries were the top 10 players in the doubles rankings.
Also Read: N Sriram Balaji’s triumph boosts hopes for the Olympics
Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, the Indian tennis duo will take part two-day clay-court tournaments Hamburg and Umag.
“We will be playing in ATP 500 Hamburg (Germany) and ATP 250 Umag (Croatia). We will be getting together right after the completion of Wimbledon,” Balaji stated.
Balaji is currently taking part in the ATP Ilkley Challenger.
