🇮🇳 Flying High: Indian U18 National Champion Tavish Pahwa
Tavish Pahwa is rapidly establishing himself as one of India’s most promising junior tennis players. The reigning U18 and U16 Fenesta National Champion recently sat down with Indian Tennis Daily to discuss his intense training in France, his recent success in doubles, and his ambitious goals for the future.
Doubles Success and the European Circuit
Indian Tennis Daily (ITD): Hi Tavish. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. You’ve had remarkable success recently with three consecutive doubles finals, including a title, in your past three ITF junior events. How are you feeling about your game right now?
Tavish Pahwa (TP): Hi, thank you for bringing me here; it’s a pleasure. Winning in doubles is always a great achievement, and it helps you get those extra points. I feel good about my game. The doubles play really helps my singles—the reflexes, the returns, and the serves all get better. I’m hoping to carry that strong doubles momentum right into my singles tournaments and do well.
ITD: You’ve been training for the past five months at the renowned All In Academy in France. What has that experience been like so far?
TP: It’s been a really good experience. Just being able to train on the Europe circuit, adapting to the European culture—it’s a huge advantage, I would say, to be training there.
ITD: Is there a particular reason you chose the All In Academy?
TP: Last March, I went to Europe to try out a few academies. I visited five or six, including All In. After going through the options, I felt that All In was the right match for me. I went there for a trial week and really liked the setup and the people.
ITD: Who are the key figures in your coaching and support team there?
TP: We have many coaches, but each player gets a main coach. My main coach in the academy is Julie. We also have top-level physios—the same physios who work with players like Medvedev and Andreeva. They look after me and my fitness.
Conquering the Nationals
ITD: Last month, you achieved the incredible feat of winning both the Fenesta Nationals Under 18 and Under 16 titles. What are your thoughts on that tournament experience?
TP: It was a great achievement. Winning the biggest tournament in India at the U18 and U16 level is something I am very pleased about. That accomplishment really gave me the right momentum and confidence to go into the ITF Juniors, so it was a huge help.
ITD: Now that you are back in India for some events, what do you think of the conditions here in Pune?
TP: Of course, coming back from France, the pollution has been a little factor, but you have to adapt quickly. The courts here are fast, but the balls are slow. I do like playing here, and I’m settling into it well.
Goals and Aspirations
ITD: What are your primary goals for the next season?
TP: My goal is simple: just to improve every single day. To focus on my tennis and strive to be better than I was the day before.
| Category | Tavish’s Answer |
| Hobby | Football |
| Favorite Football Club | Man City |
| Favorite Travel Destination (India) | Goa, for sure |
| Favorite Travel Destination (Abroad) | Nice |
| Next Travel Destination | Sydney, Australia |
| Favorite Tournament Played | J100 Almaty (where I made the final) |
| Favorite Grand Slam | Australian Open (because of Djokovic) |
| Favorite Cuisine/Dish | Thai Curry |
| Song on Repeat Mode | “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers |
| Dream Opponent | Novak Djokovic |
| Loss that Hurt the Most | I’m over the losses now; I get over them fast. |
| Most Satisfying Win | The entire J100 Almaty week. Every match, day by day, was good. |
