Rohan Bopanna vouched for a proper development of players from the grassroots levels.
Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna has claimed that despite India’s success in doubles category, a lack in quality of coaches will see the singles crown elude the country for now. While vouching for a proper development of players from the grassroots levels, he also said that if simply playing doubles was a shortcut to success then India would have had a number of players ranked in top 50,
In an interview to Reuters, Bopanna said,”If playing doubles was a shortcut to success we would have had a number of players ranked in the top 50. There was no system in place for players to come through. Whoever did well in singles in the past did it on their own.”
Commenting on the lack of players in the top 50, Bopanna said, “The players, the federation, the corporates, everyone has to come together to help out for the future of Indian tennis. That’s how a sport will grow in India, when there is a system in place. “There are kids who have the potential, they only have to be guided well and supported well and we will have singles players playing at the highest level.”
Bopanna also spoke about the proper development of coaches in grassroots level and said, “We need to have a system in place at the grassroots level for the future of Indian tennis. That’s one reason I have started my academy in Bengaluru. I am also bringing a couple of coaches to my academy in Bangalore from outside. One from the United Kingdom and one from Serbia. They will be there for an year at least. I want the kids to have that opportunity to learn from experienced foreign coaches in their own country. They often spend a lot of money to get trained by foreign coaches for just one or two months, which is not of much help.”
On the success that Bopanna has achieved over the years, he credited his coach and family and went on to say, “It has been many years of sacrifices, discipline and commitment. Not only from my side, but from my coaches, family, friends and the team, who are working throughout. Everyone has played a huge part.”
