Date:20/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/20/stories/2004122007361900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Chennai Open: good news for fans

By Our Sports Reporter

CHENNAI, DEC. 19. Vijay Amritraj, the Chairman of the Chennai ATP Open tennis championship, said there would be more interaction this time between players and fans than in the past. "There will be more fan-related programmes," said Vijay in an informal chat here on Sunday.

On the often-asked question whether Indian tennis is on its deathbed given that there is nobody on the horizon after Leander Peas and Mahesh Bhupathi, Vijay remarked, "Every generation we have had this debate. After Ramanathan Krishnan, we came, then Ramesh (Krishnan) and then Lee (Paes) and Hesh (Bhupathi) entered. I don't pay much attention to that."

But Vijay stressed there were not many players in India who are doing well. "We need a lot more guys who can press and push each other. That's the point. We have the potential but the devil lies in the execution," he said.

Vijay emphasised the importance of power. "If we can supplement our skills with a power game, we can do well internationally. Our guys are not physically overpowering enough," he said.

Vijay picked out Leander (partnering Serbian Nomad Zimonjic) and Mahesh (with Swede Jonas Bjorkman) as the pairs to beat in the Chennai Open. "You have to see Zimonjic. He is very powerful, has a very good serve. He looks like a door," said the former Davis Cupper.

Vijay said his son Prakash was shaping well. "He (Prakash) is at a good point in his career. He has paid enough attention to his off-court training, which has become more important than ever before. He is top-100 material," Vijay said.

He suggested the best players in India could be selected and sent out on tours along with a foreign coach and two Indian coaches. "If we can provide systematic training to these players, it would be ideal."

Ted Forstmann, Chairman, IMG Worldwide, would be present on the final day of the Chennai Open. Vijay said, "we were close to roping in Roger Federer for the Chennai Open but things did not work out. In the years to come, we might invite Andre Agassi (and wife Steffi Graf) to have a look at Chennai," he added.