CHENNAI: On a typically humid day in the city, the 12-year age difference between junior Wimbledon doubles winner Sumit Nagal and his opponent was evident in the semifinals of the $10,000 ITF Futures event.
Working the angles and retrieving balls, the teenager was too hot to handle for Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan. The 2008 national champion, who turns 30 next month, was impressed by what he saw. “Sumit has a whole lot of potential. It’s clear that he has played a lot on clay because he has a solid all-round game. If his attitude and work ethic remains the same, he could make it big,” Ranjeet told Express.
A nagging knee injury, picked up six months ago, meant the Davis Cupper wasn’t expecting to be in the last four. Ranjeet believes in maintaining a positive outlook always. It’s his biggest strength. “If I was 100 per cent, it would’ve been a better contest, but I competed as hard as possible. I’m happy with the way my knee held up. It’s encouraging.”
Born in Coimbatore, Ranjeet moved to Chennai at the age of 10 and spent five years in Vijay Amritraj’s academy, before it closed down in 2002. A year later, he won the national junior championship. It all seemed to augur well. But apart from a national title and another at the Futures level, he hasn’t been able to break through the way the World No 620 would’ve liked.
Doubles has been kinder to him, though, as 18 Futures crowns will attest. “I’m very consistent in reaching the latter stages of tourneys, but for whatever reason — mental probably — the trophy speedbump is something I’ve not been able to overcome. Doubles is much easier for us Indians because we have a lot of natural flair. Singles is where the wheels tend to come off,” he opined.
Ranjeet may not have succeeded in bringing home the silverware, but rest assured he’s not giving up anytime soon. Not a chance.
Singles (semis): RS Bisht bt P Gunneswaran 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; S Nagal bt 6-R Virali-Murugesan 6-3, 6-1. Doubles (final): 1-J Nedunchezhiyan/NVS Prashanth bt 2-MM Jayaprakash/VS Kaza 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).