Who is Samir Banerjee at Wimbledon 2021? Know all about his Parents, Nationality and more
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Samir Banerjee
The junior events at a grand slam never fail to deliver, given the excitement and freshness. It gives the young players exposure to the biggest stages, preparing them for the challenges ahead. One such player, you burst on the junior scenes at Wimbledon 2021 is Samir Banerjee. The 17-year old has achieved a giant-killing status as he won the Boys’ Singles Wimbledon Final.
He has dropped just 3 sets all tournament and has beaten some big names. He got the better of 12th seed Maks Kasnikowski in the first round and thrashed 5th seed Brazilian Pedro Boscardin Dias in the quarterfinals, dropping just 3 games. He finally beat Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg in the semifinal to storm into the final. In the final, he defeated Victor Lilov 7-5 6-3 in the all-American clash.
Samir Banerjee, whose father is a Bengali from Assam, made everyone take notice of his talent, winning four clay-court titles in 2020. He made a first round exit in the juniors at French Open but the 17-year-old won his 6th junior title after beating fellow countryman Victor Lilov in the Wimbledon final.
Samir Banerjee’s Parents and Nationality
Samir was born to Kunal and Usha Banerjee. Kunal, his dad was born in Vizag, India, and grew up in Hyderabad. He emigrated to the USA in the 80s and has since lived there. Hence, Samir is an Indo-American and represents the US on the global stage.
After his incredible run at Wimbledon 2021, his father revealed that he was surprised. “It’s a big surprise for us. After he lost in the first round of the French Open, his goal was to just win one match at Wimbledon. But I guess, he got used to the grass as he likes playing on grass surfaces. It is a pleasant surprise, we are thrilled,” Samir’s father said. “He had gone in with pretty low expectations after the French Open defeat. But he worked hard and we are very happy.”
Kunal but made it clear that academics will always be Samir’s first priority. “We want him to do well in academics and then, if he plays really well, we will make a decision later on. But right now, based on his performance at the junior level, it is very difficult to say that he will be very successful at the senior circuit. That’s very tough, so we don’t want to take that decision now,” his father added.
“College tennis is very strong in the U.S. That’s what he will try and do at the moment and will get his degree. If he starts playing in the men’s tour events and shows progress, then we will definitely support him. It is really difficult to be a professional tennis player – especially in terms of financial rewards – unless of course, you are playing the Wimbledon. We don’t want him to go on that track without any college degree to back him up.”
Also read: Do Wimbledon winners keep the Trophy?
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Lakshya Chopra
(2595 Articles Published)