BENGALURU: It is the final week of the ongoing US Open, and it has already created a huge buzz. Serena Williams, one of the greatest players of all time, played her final game recently, losing to Ajla Tomljanovi in the third round of the Grand Slam. Spanish legend Rafael Nadal also bowed out of the tournament on September 5 after losing to Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16. And on the same day, World No 1 Daniil Medvedev lost to the always-rebellious Nick Kyrgios. If this tournament was a TV show, the second season would have already been confirmed.
The success of India in tennis has always been a mixed bag. Veterans like Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have won multiple grand slams in doubles and mixed doubles, but the nation has never lifted the singles crown. Arjun Gautham, a former Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) player and mental skills coach for players, believes that kids here pick up the tennis racquet relatively late compared to their Western counterparts. “The age at which Indian players start training for higher levels is delayed. There are two key factors, one, the development that happens at younger ages for these players and the other, an understanding of what exactly is required,” says Gautham, adding that while players like Sumit Nagal and Ramkumar Ramanathan adjusted themselves to the international level when they were around 15, the process wasn’t consistent.
“Recently, I was in Florida where the coaches who played at the highest level and players who are playing at the top level, are right in front of them. The feedback loop is immediate. The potential is way bigger than many juniors here because the quality of information that is given to them is exactly what you need. It’s not something extraordinary but a normal day’s work for them,” shares Gautham.
Agrees Rishi Reddy, a tennis professional who is ranked 1136 in singles and 771 in doubles. “I started playing tennis when I was eight but I wasn’t playing seriously until I was 14. I was not playing to improve but just to stay fit. Usually, in an Indian household, it’s only when the kid does something big like winning a tournament or beating an elite player is when their parents allow them to play the game professionally,” says Reddy. This difference in attitude, he says, leads to a big difference down the line.
ATP ranked 659 (singles) tennis professional SD Prajwal Dev feels it is pertinent to get the basics right as a young player. “Another important factor is strong financial support. There are a lot of players in our country who play well but can’t progress due to financial setbacks,” says Dev.
This US Open also marks the farewell of one of the game’s best in history, Serena Williams. Sharmada Balu, who is ranked 622 (doubles) and 1120 (singles) by the Women’s Tennis Association, watched all of Williams’ matches at this Grand Slam. “I can speak on behalf of many – that we watched Serena’s matches with bated breath as this was the last time she was going to play the game. She’s in her 40s now and to be competing at that age well enough to beat the World No 2 Anett Kontaveit in the second round is inspirational to all women athletes out there,” says Balu.
A big Roger Federer fan, Balu feels outside of the Swiss maestro, her all-time favourite tennis player, seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin, and Sania Mirza played a big part in her tennis career. Among Indian players, the tennis players in this story count Rohan Bopanna, who won the Roland Garros in 2017 in the mixed doubles category with Gabriela Dabrowski, as a major inspiration as well.
