Time India nurtured singles talent
HOLDING COURT Spanish former world No 1 recalls her great rivalry with Steffi Graf and talks extensively on reviving Indian tennis
has seen a lot of success, in both the men’s and women’s tour. It was hard initially as in Spain football is big, just like how cricket is in India. But now, tennis is very popular and India could replicate that. Success in singles is something that won’t happen overnight. There should be a programme in India to nurture young players and take them up through the junior ranks in a systematic way and then open them up to the senior and professional circuits.
Tennis as a sport is very expensive too. Young players need private sponsor support and the national federation should also provide funds and organise tournaments for them. Success in singles is possible for India, just that you need more tournaments and should promote the talented players. It is a slow sport as far as result is concerned. One has to work very hard and keep at it…
Sania is very talented and has done well at the Slams. She has been changing partners and that is normal while on tour. I was very surprised when she split with Martina Hingis, with whom she reached the No 1 rank.
I am sure they have valid reasons for the split and now Sania has to quickly find a partner with whom she will have a good understanding.
I know Leander more than Bhupathi. We were good friends while on tour. He, on many occasions, asked me to play mixed doubles with him. But I was with my regular partner Todd Woodbridge (of Australia) at the time, and we were winning. So I didn’t want to change.
And then I retired so I couldn’t play with Leander and he still reminds me that whenever we meet.
Around seven months after the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) conceptualised its overseas scouting programme, it has finally found success in the form of Namit Deshpande, a US-based NRI.
Deshpande, like many other NRI youngsters, had sent his video to the AIFF through its dedicated portal for the NRI audience but did not expect to get a call straightaway.
“I was excited when I came to know that a window for NRI players exists wherein they could present their talent and play for India, that too in a FIFA World Cup! I sent my playing video to the AIFF without wasting much time and I received a response soon,” he said.
Deshpande, who has a valid Indian passport, had taken part in the trials under U-17 head coach Luis Norton De Matos in
Former Indian national rally champion Amanpreet Ahulawalia asserted his supremacy over the JK Tyre Arunachal Festival of Speed here on Sunday, winning four out of the five special stages on the second day to stay on course to take the overall championship.
Leander (Paes) and (Mahesh) Bhupathi have done a lot for Indian tennis and people will realise that in the future. It is unfortunate they have had a fallout.