Creating a Racket

‘‘Every performance is extremely significant in its own way’’, says California-based Nirupama Vaidyanathan. ‘‘With the same kind of attitude and resolve results are bound to come.’’ Nirupama — at one time ranked 132 in singles, the best by an Indian woman — believes every match takes a player a step ahead.

And the performances of her successors have thrilled her. Having moved out of a system that offered little to women, she is delighted with the turnaround. ‘‘There was just one tournament when I played’’, she says, calling the changes ‘‘drastic’’.

As Sania focuses on systematic, steady progress, the rest — particularly Isha Lakhani, currently India’s best at 375 on the WTA ranking — aren’t far behind. Megha Vakharia, Rushmi Chakravarthy and Ankita Bhambri constantly play ITFs in India and neighbouring countries.

Sania’s latest feat, winning the $10,000 Boca Raton Classic Women’s ITF event in Florida last week, has proved wrong those critics who dismissed her achievements as a junior and said only the senior tour mattered. Sania (ranked 461 during that tournament) says the singles win and a runners-up in doubles at Boca Raton was her ‘‘best performance and by far the toughest’’; she beat players ranked in the 300 region.

However, the most happening segment in Indian tennis is the junior section, which Ramesh Krishnan calls ‘‘a high point over the years.’’

Leading them all, after Sania’s graduation, is Mumbai’s Rastogi, who has been in peak form in the past year and is a member of the current Davis Cup squad. ‘‘He ought to aim high’’, says Jaidip Mukherjea, who believes Karan should now play senior tournaments too.

‘‘Talent is abundant in India’’, says Mukherjea, but laments the lack of ‘‘performing coaches in quantum’’. He also underlines the other factors that hinder growth: ‘‘In India it’s a calculated risk, choosing between academics and sport. And, after a point. financial support becomes a major reason to drop off.’’

It’s a point echoed by Nirupama: ‘‘It’s the coaching and attitude and not the system (’s responsible for the success).’’

Anil Khanna, secretary of the All-India Tennis Association, says the change was due to ‘‘opening up avenues by way of different level/grade tournaments that could help our players.’’. This major restructuring was started way back in 1998, Khanna says, ‘‘and is paying off now’’.

Specifically, the appointment of former Davis Cupper Enrico Piperno as girls’ coach for two years was the first step to achieving this high goal. ‘‘It’s a collective effort. A full-time coach, someone associated with progress norms, is necessary’’, Khanna adds. ‘‘Big leaps (Fed Cup) weren’t even a dream in the past. Now with a structure in place things look better.’’

The recognition that much has already been done comes from the ITF, whose Executive Director Dave Miley gave India a Top-6 world status of hosting high number of tournaments in a year. ‘‘ The depth has increased and more Indian players are ranked than ever before’’, he said.

Is there anything missing? Yes, says Mukherjea: more academies. ‘‘Regional feeders for the existent National Academy at Gurgaon are needed’’, he says.

The AITA’s aim, says Khanna, is not to increase the number of academies but the number of coaches, and better coaches, at each.

Either way, a boom time for tennis looks on the cards.