Davis Cupper J. Vishnu Vardhan, fresh from guiding Hyderabad Strikers to title triumph in the sixth edition of Tennis Premier League (TPL), feels that it is always easy to blame any federation for not doing this or that.
“I personally believe a sport can be governed much better if both the players and the administrators work together. It is not just that if you are a player you can be a good administrator or vice versa.
“I sincerely hope things will start moving in the right direction soon,” the 37-year-old indefatigable tennis player from the city informed Sportstar.
“As players, we know what we need but we should also know the kind of problems an administrator faces. So, the best way out is to show coordination in the best interest of the sport,” the four-time national champion said.
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“Yes, the national federation needs to be more open to fresh ideas. We have already hit rock-bottom. So, it is time to look forward and give fresh hopes and direction to the young talent,” he added.
Reflecting on TPL triumph, Vishnu, for whom it was the second title having played for Bengaluru last year, said he was glad to play a key role (he was the only player from the city in the team) in Hyderabad Strikers’ triumph with Suresh Krishna, another Hyderabadi, as the mentor.
“Given the fact that some of the big guns of Indian tennis like Rohan Bopanna, Sumit Nagal were there, the title win is all the more special,” he said.
Speaking about the league, he said, “The TPL is not just about giving a platform to big players. There are lots of promotional activities including identifying young talent from different cities and bringing them to the TPL venues.
“We played with them during the championship, and were thankful to the sponsors for giving them equipment and some kind of sponsorship too,” he explained.
“And, in terms of crowd support TPL was a huge hit thanks to making the sport more spectator friendly with not many restrictions unlike in most of the events,” he said.
“Honestly, sponsorship is the biggest bane of Indian tennis in general now. Given the costs involved, a young talent who has it in him or her to go the distance, is forced to even quit sometimes.
“We need a support system from the Government with a clear-cut policy to help the genuinely talented and performing players,” Vishnu said. “Look at the wonderful system in place in Gujarat and Odisha, “ he added.
On his own career, the Asian Games doubles bronze medallist (partnering Sania Mirza) acknowledged his employer ONGC as he could take part in some events in India and was planning a few more in the Asian circuit.
“Still feel I can play for a couple of more years if I get the right kind of support,” he signed off.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com