Sania Mirza is hoping that Somdev Devvarman's success will do more than just help tennis shoot up the popularity chart.
His phenomenal performance at the Chennai Open has re-ignited the passion in the men's game in the country but Sania Mirza is hoping that Somdev Devvarman's success will do more than just help tennis shoot up the popularity chart.
Sania became a youth icon and inspired many youngsters to pick up racquets after a breakthrough 2005 season but finding no other Indian woman player in top-100 upsets her.
Somdev has raised hopes of a revival of men's tennis in the country. Some say Somdev's success will do to men's tennis in the country what Sania's success did to women's tennis but the Hyderabadi would not be content with just that happening.
"Actually, I hope it does more because although the game did become popular in India after my breakthrough year, we have still not produced another top-100 player in women's tennis," Sania said.
The next best Indian woman player after Sania on the WTA ranking charts is Sunitha Rao, who is on the verge of dropping out of top-200. Sunitha, who became ineligible to represent India after the introduction of the new sports policy, is currently ranked 196.
It means that the ranking-gap between the two top players is almost 100 rungs and had it not been a injury-ridden 2008 for Sania the gap could have been much wider.
But Sania is hoping that men's tennis sees better days.
Somdev, a two-time US Collegiate champion, made a sensational start to the season, successfully humbling the likes of Carlos Moya and Ivo Karlovic.
Sania too says that Somdev's coming off age is a big boost for the game in the country.
"It was a fantastic effort and a real shot in the arm for Indian tennis. I've known Somdev from our junior days and there cannot be a nicer person to be a flag-bearer of the game in our country," Sania, who will make a return to competitive singles tennis at Australian Open, said.
"I feel proud that another of my batch-mates has broken through in the world of international tennis," Sania added.
Sania herself is out of the top-100 but that was due to not playing for a major portion of last year due to a wrist injury.
The diminutive Isha Lakhani at 361 on ranking chart is India's third highest ranked player at the moment, followed by Ankita (377) and Sanaa Bhambri (477).
Seasoned Rushmi Chakravarthi is languishing at 508 and Shikha Uberoi, who was also rendered ineligible to represent India as she holds a US Passport, is at 599.
Featuring in the top-10 Indians' list is Shalini Sahoo, who is way back at 684.The picture is not at all healthy for Indian tennis.
Hence when Sania wishes that Somdev's success not only lifts the game but helps in getting more top-level players, her statement says a lot.
But what will make India get more players like Somdev, who with sheer grit can fight fire.
The new tennis hero perhaps said it all when he rubbished the lack of facilities as a hindrance to players' development. Somdev said one needs nothing but 'passion' for the game.
He has been away from family, studying and playing in the United States.
And when asked how did he manage to focus on the game when he was living in a culture that can be very distractive for a youngster, he said, "I had my priorities right. I always wanted to be a tennis player so it was easy for me to stay focussed."
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