From classroom to Centre Court: Arnav Paparkar opens up on Wimbledon, studies and his mindset

Arnav Paparkar is balancing two demanding worlds at the age of 17. The teenager, who became the first Indian boy in 36 years to reach the Wimbledon junior singles quarterfinals, is also preparing for his Class 11 and 12 examinations through open schooling, with science as his chosen stream. In an exclusive conversation with RevSportz, India’s top-ranked Under-18 player spoke about juggling academics and tennis, the moment he knew the sport was his calling, his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, his historic Wimbledon run, training in Spain, and the tournament that shaped his mindset more than Wimbledon itself.

Q: You’re balancing academics with professional tennis. How are you managing both?

Arnav Paparkar: I do open schooling. I’m doing Classes 11 and 12 together, and my exams are in October-November. I’ve taken science, so it’s quite difficult, but I have to do it. I also have online classes at six in the morning. I hope I pass.

Q: How did your journey in tennis begin?

Paparkar: I was learning swimming when I was six years old, and there was a tennis court right beside it. I kept watching people play, and one day the coach asked me to join. I enjoyed it, and that’s how it started.

Q: When did you realise tennis was what you wanted to pursue?

Paparkar: I played my first tournament in Pune and reached the final. I lost that match, but that’s when I felt I had to continue playing tennis. At that time, I wasn’t thinking about Wimbledon or anything like that, but that was the moment I knew this was what I wanted to do.

Q: Who has been your biggest sporting inspiration?

Paparkar: Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s not a tennis player, but I follow him because he never gives up. People criticise him a lot, but he doesn’t let that affect him. I really admire that mentality.

Q: Were you disappointed after Portugal’s World Cup exit?

Paparkar: Yes. I was in London during Wimbledon and watched Portugal lose to Spain the night before one of my matches. I was really sad because it could have been Ronaldo’s last World Cup.

Q: You became the first Indian boy in 36 years to reach the Wimbledon junior quarterfinals. Did you know what was at stake?

Paparkar: No, not at all. I had already lost twice to the Japanese player, so my only thought was that I had to beat him this time. I wasn’t thinking about records. I only found out after the match when I checked Instagram a couple of hours later.

Q: Your opponent was struggling physically during that match. Did that affect your approach?

Paparkar: No. If you think too much about your opponent being injured, you relax and stop playing your own game. I treated him like any other opponent and just focused on my tennis.

Q: You lost the quarterfinal to Jordan Lee, who has beaten you a few times now. What makes him so difficult?

Paparkar: I still don’t know how to beat him. He’s extremely consistent from the baseline and doesn’t give you many chances. He controls the rallies really well.

Q: Did the Wimbledon run or becoming India’s Under-18 No. 1 add extra pressure?

Paparkar: Not really. At international tournaments, everybody is No. 1 in their own country, so rankings don’t matter much. I just try to go with the flow and focus on each match.

Q: You train in both India and Spain. What have you learnt from Spain?

Paparkar: I spend three months in India and three months in Spain. The coaches work together through me, so the transition is smooth. The biggest difference is the fitness programme and the discipline. They follow a very structured routine every day, and I think that’s something Indian tennis can learn from.

Q: Wimbledon is your biggest achievement so far, but you’ve said another tournament changed your career. Why?

Paparkar: The J60 tournament in Bahrain was probably more important. I wasn’t playing well, I’d dropped outside the Top 100, and I needed to win that tournament to qualify for the Australian Open juniors. During one match, I just told myself, ‘If you lose, you lose. Just hit the ball.’ That changed my mindset. I won the tournament and, more importantly, got my confidence back.

For Paparkar, the journey is still in its early stages. Between early morning online classes, training blocks in India and Spain, and the demands of the international junior circuit, he continues to chase progress both on and off the court.

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