‘I couldn’t find the strings’: Michael Venus opens up after Wimbledon exit

Michael Venus has spoken candidly about one of his most difficult days on court after a rare loss of confidence with his racquet contributed to a first-round Wimbledon doubles exit.

The New Zealander and his Indian partner Yuki Bhambri were beaten 6-3 6-4 by Dutch veteran Jean-Julien Rojer and American Theodore Winegar, ending their campaign before it had the chance to build momentum.

The result was particularly tough to take for Venus, who admitted afterwards he never felt comfortable striking the ball.

“I’m obviously really disappointed,” said Venus, a former Wimbledon finalist.

“To be honest, from my side, it would be up there with one of the matches throughout my career when I couldn’t find the strings.

“It’s puzzling as to why, but I felt like I was just struggling on everything, and nothing felt like it was coming off the strings or off the centre of the racquet. I was hitting the frame a bunch and felt like I didn’t really have control over much.

“Sometimes these things happen and unfortunately it’s happened out here, which would be the last place you want it to happen. So I need to figure out what contributed towards that and try to learn from it.”

Despite this match being decided in straight sets, this was a close contest. 

Venus and Bhambri had their chances early. They earned two break points on Rojer’s serve in the third game, but couldn’t convert either. Venus missed the return on the first opportunity before Winegar produced a sharp volley winner at the net on the second.

Venus was broken later in the opening set, then again at 3-3 in the second. Although he and Bhambri continued to fight, they were unable to claw the break back as Rojer and Winegar closed out the match.

Venus said the emotions of returning to one of the sport’s biggest stages may have played a role.

“Every time you come here and for every big tournament, you’re nervous, especially in the first round,” he said.

“You come with expectations and dreams of wanting to play deep into the second week and be on the big courts, playing for the title.

“Before the match, I was more nervous than normal, but I was aware of that, and there are things I do to help myself in those situations. 

“But I couldn’t seem to get control of my mind well enough, to then be in control of my body, to be out there, to be able to do what I wanted to do.”

The former Roland Garros champion said Bhambri was a source of encouragement throughout the match, but accepted the responsibility for turning things around rested with him.

“Yuki is super positive, and he’s trying to help me in those situations. I know he’s got my back, and he’s doing everything he can to help me,” Venus said.

“I didn’t feel good hitting the ball at all. The second set, I felt like I at least gave myself a chance to try and find it by having better energy, and towards the end it started to get a bit closer.

“It felt like I was starting to get more of a handle on it. The problem was, I’d let it get too far down the road before I was able to get a handle on it.”

Venus said he and Bhambri will discuss whether they play one or two tournaments in Europe before heading across the Atlantic for the US swing.