Melbourne’s sweltering courts witnessed Indian tennis pride upheld by Yuki Bhambri on Saturday. Teaming with 10th seed Andre Goransson, Bhambri defeated Santiago Gonzalez and David Pel 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 to storm into the men’s doubles third round at Australian Open 2026.
A slow start saw the first set slip away after Bhambri’s serve crumbled in the third game. Heat forced a break at 2-2 in the second, but the pair returned unbreakable. They navigated a tense tie-break and seized control in the third, breaking opponents twice to seal the deal.
Former junior Australian Open singles champion Bhambri, now the last Indian standing, echoes his 2014 third-round feat with Michael Venus. His 2025 US Open semis with Venus highlighted his doubles prowess.
Contrastingly, Sriram Balaji’s campaign ended abruptly. The late-entry pair with Neil Oberleitner fell 7-5, 6-1 to top seeds Arevalo and Pavic after an upset win over Herbert-Thompson in round one. Balaji’s exit leaves Bhambri to carry India’s doubles aspirations forward.
As temperatures soar, Bhambri’s mental fortitude and tactical acumen shine, promising more excitement in Melbourne’s Grand Slam spotlight.