‘I belong here’

Somdev Devvarman, India’s rising tennis star, tells Mihir Vasavda that practising with Andy Roddick, has helped him mature. Excerpts from an interview:


It’s been quite an eventful hard court season for you. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate it?
Probably a 6 or 7. I have played well in the big events but not as well in the challengers. I have made steady strides and that’s good. Got some good wins under my belt.

What do you take in from this experience?
A whole lot. More belief that I belong with the big boys. I have learnt about areas in my game which have improved and other areas which still need a lot of work. Its been a great learning experience for me, one that I can build on.

Any anecdotes from the US Open experience that you can share…
None that come to my mind right now...Everything has been a super experience for me. I love the energy of New York and it’s a great place to be playing in. I have a lot of friends here who came out and supported me. Plus my sister Paulami also came from India which was very special for me.

There is a lot of optimism in the air after your performance. Where do you go from here?
Now all my energies are focussed on preparing for our Davis Cup tie against South Africa. It will be great if all of us can contribute and take India to the World Group. After that I will play a few more tour events in Asia and hopefully get more good results there.

You and Sania have been friends since the junior days. What do you think is hampering her game?
I haven’t watched her game closely so it would be unfair for me to comment on it. I am sure she and her coaching staff have a game plan on how to get things going again for her.
Leander says the Indian tennis players are self-made, and don’t get much support from the system. I would have to agree with him. The best decision I made was to come to college tennis in America. That doesn’t mean you’ve made it, you really have to work very hard day in day out and make sure you keep your priorities right. Going to USA was the best thing for me as I had a great coaching staff there and things have really worked out well for me.

Do you think we need more world class academies in India?
We need world class trainers in India. I think all Indians have great eye hand co-ordination and good technique, where we fall behind is in the physical training. Of course we need to work on our infrastructure also.

Did you have to struggle too much in early part of your career?
There are difficulties everywhere, luckily for me there were friends I made along the way who helped me and advised me well. My family has been my pillar of strength and they have always encouraged me. I would not be where I am today had it not been the support and encouragement of some really good people and I can’t thank them enough.

You entered the professional tour relatively late. Did that worry you?
I think I have entered it at the right time. I am physically and mentally ready to take on the rigours of the tour. Plus I have finished my education. I think college tennis has given me a very sound base on which I can now build on. 

What’s your game plan to tackle the grass and clay courts?
That season is over now, I will start preparing for it when I come closer to the season. Basically I will figure out a way to cross the bridge once I am approaching it. It’s too far off right now, though I have a basic idea of things I need to improve in my game to deal with those surfaces better.

You had a training stint with Andy Roddick under Larry Stefanki last year. How helpful has that been?
It was great. Training with Andy and Larry was a huge learning experience. I got a better understanding of how hard one needs to work to be successful at this level. Plus, Andy and I pushed each other really hard and that was great. It also helped me a lot as I went into the Chennai Open with a lot of confidence and sharpness. We’re working out our schedules to work together again.

Who’s your idol?
Roger (Federer) is my favourite. I have always looked up to the Indian greats as we have a rich tennis history. Hopefully I will be able to make my contribution to our illustrious history.

Any good friends on Tour?
I have lots of friends on the tour. As I am new on the Tour I have just started making friends. Of course, Roddick and I have an excellent relationship and we are very good friends.

What do you do when not playing tennis?
Music is my passion. I play my guitar a lot as I love learning new songs. It soothes me a lot and I feel very relaxed with music. Of course watching movies is also a hobby. Good Will Hunting is one of my favourites. I love watching other sports on TV as well.

Who do you think will be the men’s and women’s champion at the Open?
Roger & Serena. Though they will both have to play their best tennis to win as there are some excellent players out there.