<p>It was a “Walk Down Memory Lane” and a “Sneak Preview into the Future” rolled into one at the Venetian Tennis Showdown here.<br /><br />First, the world’s two best juniors, Bhambri and Ryan Harrison of the United States, clashed in a single-set match. Then, two legends of yesteryear, 14-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras and arch-rival Andre Agassi, the winner of eight Grand Slams, came face to face. Finally, Yuki had the privilege of partnering Sampras against Agassi and Harrison.<br /><br />“It was the first time I got to meet both. I’m glad I got to play with Sampras, it was exactly what I had hoped for. It was nice to see him bang down those serves. The whole experience was unbelievable,” said Yuki. “I’ve been watching them play and then I got to play with them. I got to practice with them, too.” <br /><br />More than 10,000 people turned up at the venue, which organised the popular Tennis Showdown for the third year. <br /><br />“There were thousands of people watching us play at the indoor court. Both Agassi and Sampras were very warm. It was more of a fun thing, we had microphones with us so everyone could hear what we were saying between points. Everyone was involved,” said Yuki.<br /><br />Yuki and Harrison, who could well set up a rivalry in the coming years, train at the Nick Bolletieri Academy in Florida. Agassi is Bolletieri’s most famous pupil.<br /><br />Yuki, seen as the big hope of Asian tennis, said he got to play with the two stalwarts because of what he achieved in the past year.<br /><br />“They did enjoy playing with both of us. Both appreciated my game and told me to keep working hard to get better,” he said.<br /><br />“They didn’t give me any specific instructions. They said they were really impressed with the way I was playing and said if I kept doing what I was doing, I would get better.” <br />Yuki now goes to Bollettieri’s academy and will return home for the Chennai Open at the end of the year.<br /></p>
<p>It was a “Walk Down Memory Lane” and a “Sneak Preview into the Future” rolled into one at the Venetian Tennis Showdown here.<br /><br />First, the world’s two best juniors, Bhambri and Ryan Harrison of the United States, clashed in a single-set match. Then, two legends of yesteryear, 14-time Grand Slam winner Pete Sampras and arch-rival Andre Agassi, the winner of eight Grand Slams, came face to face. Finally, Yuki had the privilege of partnering Sampras against Agassi and Harrison.<br /><br />“It was the first time I got to meet both. I’m glad I got to play with Sampras, it was exactly what I had hoped for. It was nice to see him bang down those serves. The whole experience was unbelievable,” said Yuki. “I’ve been watching them play and then I got to play with them. I got to practice with them, too.” <br /><br />More than 10,000 people turned up at the venue, which organised the popular Tennis Showdown for the third year. <br /><br />“There were thousands of people watching us play at the indoor court. Both Agassi and Sampras were very warm. It was more of a fun thing, we had microphones with us so everyone could hear what we were saying between points. Everyone was involved,” said Yuki.<br /><br />Yuki and Harrison, who could well set up a rivalry in the coming years, train at the Nick Bolletieri Academy in Florida. Agassi is Bolletieri’s most famous pupil.<br /><br />Yuki, seen as the big hope of Asian tennis, said he got to play with the two stalwarts because of what he achieved in the past year.<br /><br />“They did enjoy playing with both of us. Both appreciated my game and told me to keep working hard to get better,” he said.<br /><br />“They didn’t give me any specific instructions. They said they were really impressed with the way I was playing and said if I kept doing what I was doing, I would get better.” <br />Yuki now goes to Bollettieri’s academy and will return home for the Chennai Open at the end of the year.<br /></p>
