He is back at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy (SMTA) with renewed vigour, and wishes to see the young and the experienced alike try to improve their fitness levels to be better players. Well, Robert Ballard, the 50-year-old former Olympian (who finished sixth in the 1988 Seoul Olympics athletics relay event) is once again making the players at the SMTA realise the importance of maintaining peak fitness levels as they pursue their dreams in the big league.
Not many at the Academy might have even seen such kind of demanding drills which Ballard is making them go through morning and evening but at the end of it all, the way they manage a sporting smile is a clear hint that they are definitely enjoying every bit of it.
“Yes, whatever he is teaching is good for us and we hope to be much fitter and ready for the huge challenges,” says the young promising Misgahn Omer.
The Aussie reiterates he has not seen the desired seriousness and awareness about physical conditioning in the Asian countries. He has earlier worked with the likes of Rohan Bopanna, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and the Indonesian Davis Cup team. The fact that even the three-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza and the WTA tour consulting coach Christian Filhol are clearly enjoying the sight of Ballard is unmistakable. “His drills may look really demanding but he makes them very interesting for the players,” remarked Sania.
This is also evident by the way even the hearing impaired national champion Shaikh Jafreen too is enjoying the conditioning camp.
Ballard’s poser is simple. How can you reach the ball for a forehand unless you have the fitness, athleticism and power? “This sport is not anymore just hitting the ball all over the court. All big players have a scientific background to their fitness preparations. Unless you are good in this, you cannot master your technical skills,” he argues.
