Bengaluru, April 6 (NationPress) Nick Chappell, who claimed the SM Krishna Memorial Open doubles championship alongside his partner Grigory Lomakin, reminisced about his journey to India during a period when he contemplated leaving tennis in 2017. He credited the insights he gained from his travels to the subcontinent with reigniting his passion for the sport.

Chappell's path has been marked by determination. Back in 2017, he attained a doubles ranking of 491. However, subsequent challenges and stagnant singles performances led him to withdraw from tournaments in India and consider ending his tennis career.

"Initially, I planned to visit India for competitions, but I ultimately decided to stop playing tennis. Although I canceled my participation, I kept my flight. I arrived in Mumbai and spent a few days with a tennis friend. Then, I traveled to Udaipur for a few weeks, where I connected with an old acquaintance from a religion professor back home who showed me around. Afterward, I traveled to Rishikesh, stayed at a yoga ashram, and visited the Taj Mahal," he shared.

“This journey offered me a fresh perspective. I spoke with numerous individuals about their endeavors. I often felt that if I wasn't advancing in the rankings, I should stop playing. Yet, there were moments when I realized my love for the game was strong. So, I decided to continue pursuing what I enjoy. Gaining this perspective helped me return to tennis,” he added.

Despite being a seasoned traveler on the tennis circuit, especially after relocating to Vietnam, this was his inaugural experience in Bengaluru.

“I have competed in Davangere, Dharwad, and Gulbarga, but this was my first week in Bangalore. I wish I had visited earlier; I could have participated in the Challengers over the last few years. However, living in Texas made the journey too lengthy for me. I hope to compete in Challengers in the coming years because I find Bangalore to be beautiful, with its lush trees. It feels more tranquil than many other places. I also really enjoy Indian cuisine, especially paneer butter masala and the south Indian breakfast like idli and poori,” he revealed.

Chappell and Lomakin triumphed over the Indian duo SD Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha with a score of 6-2, 7-6(5). This victory was particularly sweet as it came after their narrow defeat in the M25 Ahmedabad final just a week earlier. It also marked Chappell's first title since his M15 Ithaca, NY win in 2023.

“We have been playing exceptionally well over the past two weeks. From the match's outset today, it felt like we were in command. However, tiebreakers can be unpredictable. I aimed to secure a win in two sets, so I’m pleased we achieved that. We certainly deserved this victory after last week's finals where we had match points,” Nick expressed.

Despite his success in doubles, Chappell had to withdraw from the singles second round against Ryuki Matsuda at the SM Krishna Memorial Open due to an abdominal strain. Following this recent success, he aims to adjust his approach and concentrate on both doubles and singles.

“My doubles ranking isn’t particularly strong because I haven’t focused much on doubles before. Now, I am trying to balance both, as I don’t want to give up on singles. However, my body isn’t cooperating as well as it used to. In the past, if I felt unwell, I would withdraw from doubles and focus on singles. This time, I reversed that approach, and it worked out well. I intend to keep playing more doubles moving forward, especially in the next few months, depending on how my body holds up,” he concluded.