Samir Banerjee became the third Indian to win the junior title at Wimbledon at this year’s championships in London after beating Victor Lilcv in the boys’ singles final on Sunday.
Samir Banerjee says he has visited India many times and even played tennis in Delhi (Instagram photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Samir Banerjee defeated Victor Lilov 7: 5, 6: 3 in the boys’ individual final at Wimbledon 2021
- Samir is the third Indian after Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan and Leander Paes to have accomplished the feat
- Samir, who lives in New Jersey, is now taking a break from the tour to apply to Columbia University
Wimbledon junior champion Samir Banerjee is on cloud nine after winning the boys’ singles title at the prestigious tournament in London last week. The Indian-American Banerjee made his name in the tennis history books after beating his compatriot Victor Lilov 7: 5, 6: 3 in the final at the All England Club on Sunday.
17 years old Samir Banerjee became the first American to win the Junior Wimbledon Championship in 6 years and the first Indian since Yuki Bhambri to win an individual junior title in 12 years.
Samir Banerjee, whose father Kunal is from Assam and mother Usha from Andhra Pradesh, also joined an elite list of Indian players to win the individual junior title at Wimbledon.
Ramanathan Krishnan was the first Indian to win a junior major when he won the Wimbledon Junior Championship in 1954, an achievement repeated by his son Ramesh Krishnan in 1970 and Leander Paes in 1990. Ramesh Krishnan also won the Junior French Open in 1970, while Paes took the US Open title in 1990.
So Samir was visibly excited when asked about his experience sharing the record with the likes of Leander Paes.
“I really appreciated everyone in India who supported me during the tournament. I definitely have deep roots in India. My parents grew up in India. I’ve been to India so many times. I played at the RK Khanna Tennis Stadium. I represent “USA, but in a way India too.
“I started playing when I was 5 or 6. I played with my dad on the weekends. I also played baseball and soccer growing up, but the individual aspect of tennis attracted me to the sport. Winning and losing is up to me. ” I like the challenge this sport presents.
“It’s great to make my name with people like Leander Paes. I learned that he also won the boys’ singles title at Wimbledon. In the long term I would like to compete in the professional tournament and hopefully win it,” said Samir Banerjee Rajdeep Sardesai from India Today.
Samir Banerjee, who lives in New Jersey, will now be taking a break from the tour to enroll for a degree in economics or political science from Columbia University in the coming months.
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