Sania Mirza: '2018 Has Been an Average year for Indian Tennis'
Tennis - Former World No. 1 doubles player Sania Mirza says that the year has gone by has been an average one for Indian tennis, in a column written for the Indian daily The Hindu. Mirza, who did not play in 2018 due to the birth of her first child, says, "The year gone by has been average, at best, as far as Indian tennis is concerned. With my break from tennis first due to injury and then the birth of my son, and Mahesh Bhupathi’s retirement, Indian tennis suddenly seems to have lost the spark that brought in some brilliant results in the recent past."
Mirza continues saying that Prajnesh Gunneswaran has been the best find of the year among Indian players. "Prajnesh Gunneswaran has been the find of the year among men. He ranks tantalisingly close to the top-100 mark, which will assure him a place in the main draw of the Australian Open in January. Ramkumar Ramanathan has had a few outstanding results as in the previous years but consistency has eluded him while Yuki Bhambri continues his struggles with injuries. The presence of three players in the top 150 of men’s tennis is encouraging for die-hard lovers of the game in India although this is definitely not enough to bring in spectators into the stands, which is ultimately what provides the lifeline to any sport. While the women led by Karman Kaur Thandi and Ankita Raina have occasionally produced some promising results, they have not yet made the big move; they are still hovering around the 200 mark in world rankings."
Speaking about the doubles circuit where she excelled as a player, Mirza writes, "Rohan Bopanna leads the rankings among Indians in men’s doubles though it was his Asian Games partner, Divij Sharan, who made a significant move during the year to rub shoulders with the big boys in grand slams. I am proud that Prarthna Thombare is now the number 1 player of the country in women’s doubles though she still has a long way to go before she flowers on the world stage. Tennis is not just an expensive sport but also one that is difficult to make a mark in at the international level. The stakes are high in terms of monetary remuneration and consequently fame and competition is unbelievably stiff."
Mirza has been working in the gym in recent weeks and says she does plan to make a comeback to the doubles circuit, although she has not given any definite timelines on her return as of yet. saying that she will come back only when she is fit and good enough to give her best on the court.
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from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2RkHJQR
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