Rohan Bopanna has taken it upon himself to promote doubles tennis in India. The ‘Level 43’ tennis ace recently conducted a week-long doubles camp for some players in Bengaluru. “It was a fantastic week. If we are going to wait for the federation (All India Tennis Association), nothing will happen. I have been holding these camps, all paid for,” Bopanna told RevSportz on Tuesday.
“It was serious as well as fun. We had so many guys including Yuki Bhambri (ranked 62 in doubles), N. Sriram Balaji (74), Vijay Sundar Prahsanth (83), Anirudh Chandrashekhar (87) and Jeevan Neduncheziyan (94). There were a few more players, with Balu (coach M.Balachandran) and I involved in coaching as well as playing.
“There was great intensity in the camp. We had a good physio also available plus yoga sessions, it all looks good,” he stressed. The big thing is everyone got to hone their skills ahead of the Australian Open.”
At 43 years of age, the tall Coorgi calls himself ‘Level 43’ and wishes to continue playing as long as he is passionate about tennis. Having won a mixed doubles gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, with Rutuja Bhosale in October last, Rohan Bopanna is searching for more glory.
“There was no ATP event for me this week as my partner (Matt Ebden) is playing the United Cup. I fly out to Adelaide on Wednesday, so it was good to play with the Indian doubles specialists,” Rohan Bopanna said.
The big picture for him is the Paris Olympics in July. Who will be his partner? “Frankly speaking, we have a number of guys who are playing decent doubles now, so this camp I held was a chance to see all of them. I can say for sure, in the next three months, if these boys can get their rankings up, then we could even have two teams from India in doubles at the Olympics.
He is categorical that the level of doubles players in India is so good now that they can push one another. “Assuming I am in Top 10 after the French Open, I can pick my partner. In addition, if these boys (Yuki, Sriram, Vijay and Jeevan) can crank up their rankings soon, a good combined ranking can see them knocking on qualification doors,” he emphasised.
The Paris Olympics will be played on clay, a surface almost alien to most Indian players. “Most of them play on hard courts, so we will have to wait and watch really. There is no point in speculating who will play with me in Paris, let us wait,” Rohan Bopanna said.
Rohan Bopanna may even get a shot at mixed doubles in the Paris Olympics if he can keep his individual doubles ranking high. The good part, he is not defending too many ranking points in the next few months.
Looking at the 2024 season, Bopanna said the off-court training and rest has done him good. “I am looking to go the whole hog in 2024 as I am enjoying my tennis and committed to my partner (Ebden),” he said.
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