For Saketh Myneni, the gold medallist in the mixed doubles tennis event partnering Sania Mirza in the recent Incheon Asian Games, it was a priceless and an unforgettable experience.
“But, again, singles will be my topmost priority as I am keen to improve my world ranking to be in with a realistic chance of playing in a Grand Slam championship,” said the 400th-ranked tennis player who won a silver in the men’s doubles partnering Sanam Singh, besides the mixed doubles gold.
“Well, when we went there for the Asiad, the whole focus was on how well we prepare and execute our game plan. Mixed doubles was a different experience at this level for me. But, Sania being so experienced, gave vital inputs on the opponents lined up against us and I used to share my info with her. There were lots of discussions when we planned our strategy and it is not just going out playing there and hoping for the best,” Saketh explained in an exclusive interview with The Hindu on his return home.
Good friends“It was the ability to communicate better with Sania since we have been good friends for long that was the key to our success. Definitely, we complemented each other pretty well in crunch games,” says Saketh.
“The best part is that the mood was always upbeat in the Indian squad during the Asiad. We tried our best to stay focused,” the 27-year-old said.
“Till now, I have been called a Davis Cupper. But now the tag of Asiad gold medallist is something which I will cherish for a long time to come. It was an unforgettable feeling when we received the gold with the national anthem ringing in the venue. That was one thing which I always longed to hear in a major event,” he said.
“The expectations will be higher in the future events, no doubt, after the Asiad gold. But again, it all depends on how well you train and perform on the given day as all other factors become secondary. There is always scope to improve. I have a very busy schedule and hope to pick major titles and improve my world ranking,” added Saketh whose sporting idols are Andre Agassi and Roger Federer. “The big dream now is to make it to the 2016 Rio Olympics,” he said.
