Indian tennis vibrant despite an indifferent media

Indian tennis is vibrant. Yet, except for taking note when Leander Paes wins the US Open, or when there is a controversy to discuss, the Indian media is quite indifferent towards its tennis. It is sad.

People in power, who can ensure a healthy coverage, have no inclination to support the players by projecting them well, and keeping them in public mind. It is a cycle, and every part has a role to play. At a time when Indian tennis is ready to make the breakthrough, the media is fascinated by European football and a hundred other things that are foreign.

The headlines are the tonic for sports persons. If you deny them that, you are denying oxygen to a patient. There is so much that goes into making a player that it is a tragedy when players are reduced to mere numbers in the scores, or ignored completely.

Nevertheless, it is fascinating to keep track ! The good thing is that the players these days are quite tough and will make the breakthrough for a lively career in professional tennis, against the odds despite an indifferent media that chooses to look the other way.

Somdev Devvarman gives himself a chance to play David Ferrer

KUALA LUMPUR, SEPT. 23:

The second-seeded Somdev Devvarman beat Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands 7-5, 7-5 in the third and final qualifying round of the $984,300 Malaysian Open ATP Tour event on Monday.

The 98^th ranked Somdev was rewarded for his fine run with a first round against fellow qualifier, the 140^th ranked Matteo Viola of Italy. The No.1 Indian singles player has already assured himself of 12 ATP points and will look to add at least another 20 to his kitty, before he possibly runs into the No.1 seed David Ferrer in the second round.

The second best Indian player on the ATP computer, eligible to play Davis Cup for the country, the 278^th ranked Yuki Bhambri has been given a wild card in the doubles with Syed Mohd. Agil syed Nagub of Malaysia. The duo will challenge the second-seeded Julien Benneteau of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia in the first round.

The 21-year-old Yuki had reached the singles and doubles final last week in Chinese Taipei, and thus could not play the qualifying singles event in Malaysia. However, after playing three tough matches on one day, owing to rain having washed out play earlier, Yuki may perhaps be happy with a relatively light week.

Karunuday Singh loses final qualifying round, the best of doubles stars in action

BANGKOK, SEPT. 23:

The eighth-seeded Karunuday Singh went down fighting 6-4, 1-6, 4-6 to the fourth-seeded Marco Chudinelli of Switzerland in the third and finaly qualifying round of the $567,530 Thailand Open ATP Tour event on Monday.

The 21-year-old Karunuday who is coached by Paul Dale, had to be content with six ATP points and $935.

The doubles draw features  the top-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi in partnership with Robert LIndstedt of Sweden against Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain and Paolo Lorenzi of Italy in the first round. The US Open champion Leander Paes has been seeded second iwth Daniele Bracciali of Italy and drawn to play James Cerretani of the US and Adil Shamasoin of Canada.

The fast emerging Indian pair of Divij Sharan and Purav Raja that made the Wimbledon main draw and won an ATP Tour title this season, will play Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah of Colombia in the first round.

Qualifier Saketh Myneni seeded No.1, sweats it out in doubles

MESHREF (KUWAIT), SEPT.23:

Qualifier Saketh Myneni was seeded No.1 in the $10,000 ITF Men’s Futures tennis tournament that began here on Monday.

Saketh who had made a last minute entry for the event after having enjoyed success last week at the same place, had to win a round, which he did with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Tamim Hallak of Lebanon in the second and final qualifying round, to make the main event.

Saketh had to really sweat it out in teh first round of doubles in partnership with Patrick Davidson of the US, as the duo prevailed 7-5, 3-6, 13-11 against Sadio Doumbia and Jordan Ubiergo of France to fetch a place in the quarterfinals.

Akash Wagh also qualified with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Uros Lukic of Yugoslavia. There was a lot of clash among the Indians in singles and doubles. Siddharth Rawat beat Kaza Vinayak Sharma 6-0, 6-4 in the first round.

However, Kaza Vinayak Sharma and Akash Wagh beat Siddharth Rawat and Arpit Sharma 6-3, 6-4 in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

Vijayant Malik bows out

NAPA (CALIFORNIA), SEPT. 23:

Vijayant Malik found the second-seeded Tim Smyczek of the US too hot to handle as he bowed out to a 2-6, 2-6 defeat in the first round of the $50,000 Napa Valley Challenger tennis tournament on Monday.

Sanam Singh was drawn to play Bobby Reyolds of the US in the first round. Sanam and Vijayant were paired to play Denis Kudla and Donald Young of the US in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

Nidhi Chilumula in doubles quarterfinals

FERGANA (UZBEKISTAN), SEPT. 23:

Nidhi Chilumula partnered Amina Smolina of Russia to beat Arina Foltis of Uzbekistan and Alexandra Riley of the US 6-1, 6-4 in the doubles pre-quarterfinals of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament on Monday.

Ankita Raina, the other Indian in the field, partnered Deniz Khazanuk of Israel. In singles, Ankita was seeded eighth and drawn to play wild card Jamilya Sadykzhanova of Uzbekistan, while Nidhi was scheduled to face the seventh-seeded Basak Eraydin of Turkey.