Date:03/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030372030100.htm

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A star-studded show from today

Kalyan Ashok

Unmindful of jet lag, Venus and Serena are already hitting the nets

— Photo. Bhagya Prakash K.

All set for the big event: Tennis stars Serena and Venus with their father, Richard Williams, during the practice session in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: “When we got the WTA’s nod to hold the Bangalore Open as a two-tier event, we faced an uphill task. Today, standing before you, I can say, we have arrived.”

That was C.S. Sunder Raju, Bangalore Open Tournament director and secretary of the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), talking. He surely can take pride in the KSLTA’s effort to bring home the biggest tennis extravaganza in the country which kicks off at the KSLTA Stadium on Monday.

Cassandra’s said the event would not be a crowd puller sans Sania Mirza. But the Sania magic has been replaced by Serena magic as she and her sister Venus, the Wimbledon champion, are very much here for the championship.

The Williams sisters between themselves have woven a fairytale of success in women’s tennis with their own brand of power game. In their father, Richard, they have an able strategist who charted their successful course in tennis at the highest level. Today, they stand as an inspiration to millions of children wanting to emulate their feats on the court. The Williams family flew into Bangalore on Saturday night and displayed their professionalism by turning up at 9 a.m. on a Sunday at KSCA courts for a vigorous practice session.

As he watched his phenomenal daughters with obvious pride, Mr. Richard said: “It’s great to be in India and Bangalore; we are looking for some good action and want to take in all the sights and sounds of this beautiful place.”

Clash

He would have loved a summit clash between his daughters.

“Would not that be wonderful?” But it has not worked quite that way as they both drew the same section and get to meet each other in the semi-finals.

Besides the Williams, Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, who is World No. 4 and the top seed, tour veteran Patty Schnyder of Switzerland and crafty Sybille Bammer of Austria, the youthful Anges Szavay and Vera Zvonerava of Russia and Maria Mitrilenko also of Russia make up the star-cast that is set to dominate the KSLTA courts over this week.