Get, set, match!
Sporting season is here and if footfall fever wasn’t enough, tennis buffs can now have their share of fun with the Wimbledon tournament starting on June 21. South Africa may be doing the Waka Waka but the latest action comes from the English tennis courts. Now that Federer lost to Soderling and even lost out on his number one ranking to Nadal, the competition has gotten tougher and tennis fans are definitely not going to give this one a miss!
“Wimbledon is like the mecca of tennis and it is the dream of every player to play there,” says Rahul Devatha, 19, Christ University student who regularly surfs atptennis.com and atpworldtour.com for live tennis updates. “I am a big Nadal supporter! He is my inspiration and role model. His ‘never say die’ spirit gets you hooked. I stopped playing tennis in the 10th grade because of academics and the only reason I am still in touch with the game is because of Nadal!” says Rahul, who is also looking out for Roger Federer and Andy Roddick’s performances. “Federer has a certain sense of grace while playing and he can move brilliantly on a grass turf and Roddick’s booming serves are a delight to watch.”
While Pete Sampras is student Tejas Pathi’s all-time favourite, he is supporting Federer this season. “I would prefer Federer winning instead of Nadal!” laughs the19-year-old Tejas, who competed in state level tennis while at school, but now regularly watches tennis on the telly. “I am not fond of any of the Spanish football clubs. That dislike kind of seeps even into tennis!” he says. For the finals, he will be meeting up friends to catch the game live.
But the excitement is not limited to just the male players. While Rahul will be looking out for Belgian champ Justine Henin, Tejas is rooting for Russian force Maria Sharapova’s much-awaited comeback after her injury. “She has had a very bad season because of her injury. However, she has immense potential and deserves to win!” he says.
On the other hand, 17-year-old Rachita Sarda from National Public School, is placing her bets on Venus Williams. “Sharapova is very unpredictable and an erratic player. I love Venus’ strokes. She is tall and covers the court well. I will definitely be tuning in to see her perform!” says Rachita, who herself has played for many national and international tournaments including the ITF Grade 5 tournament in Oman in February.
So can we expect her friends to give her company? “Who says girls can’t appreciate tennis? There are many female fans who will be giving the boys company!” she laughs.
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