Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Zverev, Shapovalov and Dissanayak­e

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The US Open series is creating interest in North America to make the final Grand Slam the year the US-Open to be popular. The newly named ‘new generation’ band of players, by ATP and WTA, are doing exactly what is expected of them in the 6 events prior to the Grand Slam. Former World Junior No.2, left-handed Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov beat a string of stars such as Del Potro and Nadal to reach the semifinals of the Canadian Open in Montreal. Another teenager, Germany’s Alexander Zverev won that title beating Shapovalov in the semifinals and the maestro, Roger Federer, in straight Sets, in the final, to clinch the Roger’s Cup in Montreal.

New Generation Players (NGP)

In recent times, 2 Canadian names kept their flag flying in the profession­al circuit. Eugenie Bouchard among Women and Milos Raonic among Men. A new hope for Canada came to being in Denis Shapovalov, who is just 18 years of age and is certainly going to fire up North American Tennis. Shapovalov was born in Tel-Aviv, Israel, to Russian-Israeli parents. They moved to Canada when Denis was a-year-old. His mother, a Tennis coach, has her own Tennis Club in Canada. Denis won the Junior titles of Wimbledon in 2016 and the US-Open in 2015. It could be said that he has come through the mill, with all the experience he needs to play in the big league.

Russian-born German Alexander Zverev, in the last 2 years, has establishe­d himself as another giant killer. This Montreal title is his 2nd Masters level for this year. In the final, he signaled the world of him coming of age, when he beat none other than the most esteemed player of the decade, Federer. The NGPs are very fast on the court and exhibit an all court game. In today’s developmen­t approach, winning without punishing and injuring the body takes top priority. This means, playing from 2-3 meters behind the baseline and hitting an averaging 15 shots per rally, for 3 Sets, is to be avoided at all cost. Possession of the net game is the only solution to survive the grueling profession­al circuit. Zverev has all the signature elements of the NGP.

WTA ranking goes haywire

This year we have seen 2 players occupy the No.1 slot in the WTA ranking. They are Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova. Simona Halep is No.2 and could be No.1 anytime with one good performanc­e. These 3 are very consistent in their performanc­e in reaching quarters, semis and finals and winning titles. They have taken a few titles between them this year. Still their positions are not quite secure. The situation in WTA Women’s Tennis is that, there are more than 10 players at the top, who can topple one another. Fatigue and injuries disturb the Women players more. Due to this, many in the top 10 show inconsiste­nt performanc­es. It could be a sign that the top positions this year will not be clear cut and will go haywire. We also have 2 other names that have done well. They are former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.

In the current US-Open series, the player who is coming into prominence is Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. In Toronto, Canada, last week, she took the Canadian tile beating Halep in the semifinals and Wozniacki in the finals. Standing at 5'.9", she has shown she has every dept of the game in place, to be No.1. At present she is No.4.

Colombo and ‘gang training’

At about the same time, Shamal Dissanayak­e in Colombo, earned the distinctio­n of winning a National title of a nation, losing just 1 game, on his way to the title. He played a total of 5 matches. Except for 1 match, all others were won at 6/0, 6/0, which includes the finals. This could go into the record books for certain. The National Championsh­ip of Sri Lanka is always played in August.

Twenty-one-year-old Shamal is ranked 1,527 in the ATP ranking, with just 2 points, and has contribute­d to our Davis Cup success in many ways already. He shares the 1527th position with 39 others in the world rank- ing. It is not a prestigiou­s position and players in this are not known to the world press. On record, this feat of his must be unpreceden­ted in the game of Tennis. Sad and frightenin­g fact is, it shows how low our national Tennis standard is, to permit a player, ranked 1527 in the world, to clinch the national title losing just one game.

Unless our players stop attending stroke-making ‘gang training’ sessions and start ‘playing Sets’, our Tennis will not see the light on the horizon. The immature game they exhibit comes from severe lack of exposure to match play. Our developmen­t could be termed as ‘Gang training’ under a immature assistant coach. Tennis is an individual game which needs tactical mind to evolve. Right now we do not have a road map for it.

DRUGS UNDER A FLYOVER

The drugs scenario has entered into the sports arena in a big way and it has been reported that some athletes get their drugs injected into them under a flyover in Nugegoda. It is grossly estimated that an injection is in the region of Rs.10, 000. No wonder the drugs scene is booming these days with so many athletics events in the offing. 1 2 3 4 5 6 J. K. Januka Dilshan Vinod Weerasingh­e Armand Flamer Caldera T. Akash Kayla Perera Taniya Minel Balasuriya Total Score 5/3 1/2 1 UP - 6/5 1 UP 4 1/2 Saqib

CONFUSION GALORE

There is an inquiry into the loss of Rs. 30 million from a sports body and five members have been appointed to probe into the inquiry. Also the letters of appointmen­ts to some members of this board has been pending for some time, as there is nobody to sign these letters. Also the salaries of some members have not been paid to date, causing more concern and confusion.

TEAM UNDER STRESS

Junaid Irfan DamilAtaul­la Ahmed Baig RimshaIjaz Total Score Recently a junior football team took wing to Suneya Osama - 1/2 - - - 1 1/2 Nepal to take part in an under 15 football tournament. It is alleged that the team was not properly trained as the president of this sports body and its secretary are abroad. It is also said that the team did not have proper nutrition and did not have proper meals at the residentia­l camp they were lodging in! The outcome can only be known after the contest.

NO TREASURER

A leading sports personalit­y of a popular women’s sport is badly disappoint­ed that a person she wanted to be in the board was not selected. She had even lamented that the person she wants in the Board is so important that things may come to a halt in this sports body. No wonder that the person she wants to be in the Board is the Treasurer, who controls the funds.

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