Hitesh Chauhan finished 2025 as India’s top-ranked junior, but the 18-year-old is already looking well beyond junior accolades.
After a season that included Grand Slam qualifications, a junior ITF title, and his first taste of the men’s circuit, Chauhan now stands at a crucial crossroads in his career. As he prepares to transition full-time into the professional ranks in 2026, the youngster is clear-eyed about both the challenges ahead and the ambition driving him forward.
In 2025, Chauhan qualified for the boys’ singles events at both the French Open and the US Open, reaching the second round at Roland Garros. He also lifted the ITF J200 title in Cairo, a breakthrough result that reinforced his belief that he belongs on the biggest stages of junior tennis.
“2025 was a very important year for my development, and qualifying for the French Open and the US Open as well showed me that I can perform really well at these levels under pressure on big stages. Winning the J200 in Cairo gave me confidence. I won it without dropping a set, and it showed me that I can consistently win matches, not just play well, and I also learned how to manage tough situations. In all of these matches, I really had tough situations between the matches, like I had cramping, and it was really mental over there in Cairo,” Chauhan told IndiaSportsHub in an exclusive interview.
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“Overall the year helped me believe more in my game and in my whole process. And that I can do really well on this stage.”
Dipping His Toes on the Pro Circuit
Alongside his junior success, Chauhan also took his first steps on the men’s ITF circuit, picking up a few main-draw victories. That early exposure, he says, made one thing abundantly clear: the professional game is a completely different ballgame.
“The difference between the juniors and the pro level is a really major one because the pro level is a big step compared to the juniors physically,” Chauhan explained.
“When you step onto the men’s circuit, it’s all physical and mental as well. Physically the matches are longer and more demanding, and mentally there is much less margin as compared to the juniors.
“At the pro level, you have to be consistent, and you have to be disciplined at every single point. You have to fight for every single point and it has forced me to improve my professionalism overall.”
Building for the Long Haul
As he prepares for his first full season among the pros, Chauhan is realistic about the areas where improvement is essential.
“I want to be physically stronger. I want to be physically and mentally strong. On the men’s tour, the matches are longer, and it’s basically physical. You have to be physically very strong in the men’s pro tour and mentally as well. So my main goal is to get ready for the long matches, the long weeks, and playing many matches week by week, staying on the road for four weeks or five weeks. It’s not easy. So I have to get my physicality at a really good level as well as mentally.”
That preparation is currently being shaped at the Roundglass Academy, where Chauhan works within a structured coaching and fitness environment, supported by mental training sessions designed to help players cope with pressure, expectations, and inevitable setbacks.
Choosing the Pro Route
While several Indian youngsters, including Aryan Shah and Kriish Tyagi, have opted for the US college route, Chauhan who cites Jannik Sinner and Yuki Bhambri as his role models, has chosen a different path.
“I respect the US college route, and I think it works very well for many players. As you said, Krish and Aryan, it must have been working very well for them. It offers a good balance of education and competitive tennis. But for me right now, my focus is on pursuing professional tennis directly. I want to see how far I can push myself on the pro tour. And at the moment that is where my motivation lies.”
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Chauhan does not shy away from ambition. His biggest goal, he says, is to become world No. 1.
“My biggest ambition is to become world number one, and I want to, like, make India proud. That’s my big goal. That motivates me every single day. I want to be a really great player and a really good person as well,” he added. At the same time, his short-term objectives remain grounded and realistic. Chauhan would like to end the 2026 season established on the ITF circuit and inside the top 750 of the ATP rankings.
“By the end of 2026, I want to be more established on the pro tour. I want to make a name for myself. Like, people should know who Hitesh Chauhan is. I want to be competing regularly in ITF 15Ks and 25Ks and keep improving my ATP rankings steadily. More than numbers, I want to feel stronger and more confident in my game. I also want to be strong mentally and physically, and my goal is to be in the top 750 at the end of the year.”
What truly sets Chauhan apart, however, is not a ranking or a result, but a mindset he believes defines his game.
“I don’t give up easily; I just give my everything. Every single point is like do or die for me. I just go over there grinding for every single point, dying for every single point. And that’s what I think sets me apart from the other players.”
Indian athletes are often criticized for not dreaming big enough or lacking resilience at the highest level. In Hitesh Chauhan, Indian tennis appears to have a young professional who possesses both ambition and self-awareness in equal measure. With a committed support system behind him and a clear understanding that progress on the men’s tour is a marathon, not a sprint, Chauhan now begins the most important phase of his journey.
Written by Haresh Ramchandani
