Indian cricket’s teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi enjoyed a memorable first visit to Wimbledon on Sunday, attending the men’s singles final alongside Yuvraj Singh, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson as the 15-year-old soaked in the atmosphere at Centre Court.
Fresh from a breakthrough year in cricket, Vaibhav was among several Indian cricketers at the All England Club, where he spoke about experiencing one of sport’s most iconic venues for the first time.
“I’m here to watch the final match and see what the experience is like, watching live and observing how players perform in the finals. It should be a great experience,” Vaibhav said during an interview with Wimbledon.
DJOKOVIC HIS IDOL
The youngster revealed he has been following tennis for the last four to five years and named Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the players he admired most while growing up.
“I used to watch Nadal and Djokovic a lot. I really like Djokovic, but those were the two players I followed the most,” he said.
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Asked which player from tennis’ new generation has impressed him the most, Vaibhav backed world No. 1 Jannik Sinner to come out on top in the Wimbledon final.
“I’ve really liked Sinner, the way he has dominated throughout the tournament. Hopefully, he wins today,” he said.
The teenager also spoke about his sharp look for the occasion, revealing fellow cricketer Abhishek Sharma played a role in helping him get ready.
“I didn’t really plan anything specific. I just put on what I could find quickly. Abhishek helped arrange it, and here I am,” he said.
CRICKET AT SW19
Vaibhav’s visit continued the strong Indian cricket presence at this year’s Championships. Earlier in the week, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and India;s ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill attended the men’s singles semi-finals from the iconic Royal Box, with Tendulkar making another appearance at one of his favourite sporting events and Gill enjoying his first Wimbledon experience.
On Sunday, the spotlight shifted to the next generation as Vaibhav attended the final alongside former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, current India teammates in the T20I setup, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. The Indian T20I side had just completed a five-match series against England where they lost 0-4.
The interview also produced a light-hearted moment when Vaibhav was asked to pick a cricketer as his tennis doubles partner.
“I’ve already mentioned Abhishek bhaiya. Since he is my opening partner, I would choose him here as well,” he said.
Still only 15, Vaibhav has emerged as one of Indian cricket’s brightest young prospects, and his appearance at Wimbledon reflected the growing crossover between cricket and tennis, with several leading cricketers making the All England Club a regular stop during the grass-court season.
For the teenager, however, the visit was about more than celebrity appearances. It was an opportunity to witness elite athletes compete on one of sport’s grandest stages while drawing inspiration from champions outside the cricket field.
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