“Indian tennis is progressing well…” said Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) president and secretary-general of the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) Anil Khanna, on the sidelines of the QNet $25,000 ITF Open women's final at the KSLTA stadium, here on Saturday.
“Tennis players in our country are making decent money these days and some of them who have turned coaches after their playing days earn more than architects, CAs and even engineers,” he said.
On the participation at the London Olympics, Khanna was quite candid. “We will decide on the team composition on June 16, after the ATP and WTA lists are released on June 11.
“Our men's doubles team looks a good bet and with Sania Mirza in the top-10 in women's doubles our prospects in mixed-doubles is pretty high. They have all been playing on the pro circuit for quite sometime.”
About the women's doubles team, he said, “we are looking for the right partner for Sania. Four girls — Kyra Shroff, Prerna Bhambri, Sharmada Balu and Rutuja Bhosle — have been called to New Delhi for a month-long camp along with Sania and the best of the four will team up with her for the Olympics.”
Pat for Sania
“Sania has played well with all the three top doubles specialists that we have now. The 2006 Asian Games gold in Doha with Leander Paes, a Grand Slam title with Mahesh, and alongside Rohan Bopanna, she did well in the Hopman Cup. So she can partner any one of them.”
On the Indian Davis Cup composition, Khanna stressed that “like all other European teams, our intent will be to have three singles players and one doubles combination as Bopanna can always fill the singles slot if necessary. Sanam Singh and Yuki Bhambri are shaping up well and will be the other singles players alongside Somdev Devvarman.”
With the Indian Government agreeing to pitch in with the prize money as per AITA's proposal, there will be at least 70 Futures and other major events in India in a year.
“This will enable our players to accumulate important points as well as earn some money. Also they can save on the huge amounts spent on travel and accommodation while playing on circuits abroad. It becomes hard on the organisers to raise the prize money as well as the cost of organisation… so the Government's acceptance is a welcome boon,” Khanna said.
“Tennis courts are mushrooming in clubs, corporates and even in schools and societies of late. All this augurs well for the game in our country,” Khanna signed off.
