Prajnesh has the potential to make it to top 100: Paire
MUMBAI: The past couple of years have seen Indian tennis players beginning to make inroads in the international circuit in singles action. Players like Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sumit Nagal, and Ramkumar Ramanathan are all figure in the top 200 in the ATP Rankings, and it is a measure of their improvement that for the first time in the history of South Asia’s lone ATP Tour 250 event, two Indian players have got direct entry into the main draw of the Tata Open Maharashtra to be played at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune from February 3-9.
Gunneswaran, ranked 123 in the world, clinched a direct entry a few days ago following the withdrawal of Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak. On Wednesday, the organisers announced that Nagal, ranked 131st, too has made it. Gunneswaran and Nagal were second and third in the alternates list and got a chance with Japan’s Go Soeda also pulling out.
With Ramanathan too making the main draw thanks to a wild card handed by the organising committee, France’s Benoit Paire, currently ranked 21st in the world and top seed for Tata Open Maharashtra, is looking forward to the challenge of playing the Indian players on their home courts.
The 30-year-old Paire, who lost to Marin Cilic in a fifth set tiebreaker after winning the first two sets in the second round of the ongoing Australian Open, believes Gunneswaran has the potential to be in the top 100.
“I played Prajnesh a couple of times last season. He beat me in Indian Wells and I beat him in Winston Salem (on the US hard court circuit).
“I was impressed with his level and think he has the potential to make it higher in the Top 100,” Paire told Hindustan Times in an email interaction.
Though he has not played Nagal thus far, Paire remembers the incident that announced Nagal’s arrival.
“I don’t know so much about Sumit as I never got the chance to play him. I remember him taking a set of (Roger) Federer at the US Open (2019), so clearly he has got a lot of talent.
“Hopefully I get the chance to play some Indian players this year at Pune as the atmosphere and support is always amazing,” said the French star known for his audacious shots and his mercurial temperament.
He was recently in the news for blowing a fuse during the ATP Cup, but also for a incredible backhand on the run in the same match against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson.
Paire knows how difficult it is to rise in the rankings, crossing the trenches of the Futures and Challenger circuits to make it to the top 100.
“India has got a lot of potential. I think the ATP Challenger tournaments have been very important for creating playing opportunities for local players. It would be great to see more Challenger events hosted in India to give the next generation that path and good competition. Of course also having an ATP event here is big for inspiring the next generation to pick up a racket. It would be amazing for tennis to have a champion from India,” said Paire.
Having turned professional in 2007, the Frenchman, now a Geneva native, had climbed up the rankings steadily to be in the top-30s in 2013 before slipping to 120 due to indifferent form and injury problems.