Sunitha to play for India (The controversy)

PKBasu · Post by **PKBasu** » Thu Apr 03, 2003 4:59 am

Kamesh Srinivasan of the Hindu says that India has applied for Sunitha Rao to be allowed to play Fed Cup for India.
This would be a very interesting development, and we would have a formidable Fed Cup side in 2-3 years when Sania, Sanaa and Tara are ready to turn pro. Even today, if Nirupama can find some form, we might begin to contend seriously in the early rounds of the Fed Cup with Sunitha Rao in our ranks.
Once her application is approved, we probably need to consider starting a page for Sunitha Rao, if this news is true...

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Thu Apr 03, 2003 5:32 am

This had better not be another one of those April Fool jokes

No seriously, I'd be really happy if she played for our country. Where did you get the news from?

Post by **jayakris** » Thu Apr 03, 2003 6:53 am

No, not a joke. Hope things work out and she plays for India. Sunitha is *really* talented and it is indeed great news.

BTW, here is Kamesh's article:
Leander's support cast has to deliver (scroll down)

Jay

gvhvhg · Post by **gvhvhg** » Fri Apr 04, 2003 12:46 am

That would be great! Sunitha is already playing some WTA tourneys, so we will have someone to follow at the top level of play. I think she has more potential than Sania.

I can't wait for about 5 years when we can may some top 100-200 players playing ATP/WTA tourneys week in, week out. I am talking about Sunitha, Sania, Tara, (and after her Hyderabad show) Manisha on the womens side. And RB, Prakash, HM, SKS and Karan RAstogi on the men's side.

I hope atleast 2 of these players (preferably on on each side) can make a huge impact on the international scene and go where no indian has gone before!!!!!!

BSharma · Post by **BSharma** » Fri Apr 04, 2003 12:51 am

Jay, look what you have done to the Indian tennis fans. Now they think that you are making an April Fool all the time. I don't think anybody is going to believe your column next April 1st!

I am thrilled that Sunitha Rao will play for India. It will raise the standard of women's tennis in India and players like Sania, Sanaa, etc will work harder because of the competition within India.

Unlike some people I do not have a problem with imported players like Sunitha and Prakash playing for India and taking away a spot from a home grown talent.

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 1:59 am

Guys did you check out this report in Hindu,
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003 ... 072000.htm

Looks like she may not play for india after all. I think her Dad may be too optimistic, if he believed that AITA would come up with $100,000 every year. Even if AITA had that kinda of money (which they may have), i don't think they will dole out that much money. Now it seems becoz she expressed her interest to play for india, USTA is ignoring her (wildcards, sponsor, etc).

nkoth · Post by **nkoth** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 2:42 am

I hadn't seen it Kumar -- thanks for alerting us.

What a terrible situation that Sunitha finds herself in... and especially as it is her own father that has put her in this position. I don't know, is it just me, or does he not come off very well in this article?

The way things stand at the moment in her career, Sunitha needs an infusion of good coaching quickly if she wants to make another good push up the rankings. Unfortunately, she seems to have hit a plateau at the moment, which makes this current situation even worse. (Of course, it could be the stress of the current situation affecting her play.) She's no longer wanted in the US, and now her father is trying to keep her from going to India unless she gets paid enough?

Sad sad sad

Such a talented young player getting caught like this... I pray that AITA and Mr. Rao can let cooler heads prevail and come to an understanding.

-neil

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 4:23 pm

Playing for India (or for the USA, for that matter) should be a matter of nationalistic pride, not money. Mr. Rao needs to check with the Amritrajs for some PR training

If you love what you do, the money will follow

Her Dad comes across as a mercenary. Reminds me of Richard Williams (he was just plain arrogant).

i'd rather back the home-grown Sania.

Corporate sponsors in India are starting to warm up to tennis.

All that being said, it is creditable of Sunitha to reach a WTA ranking of 162, even before she turned 18. It is quite likely that she will keep ascending in the rankings. Wildcards should become irrelevant soon.

Will the money on the tour be enough to sustain her? At her current level, she should be able to squeak through.

My $0.02 (Rs. 0.90)

nkoth · Post by **nkoth** » Sat Aug 02, 2003 11:31 pm

pjoseph wrote:i'd rather back home-grown Sania.

Well that, I think, is the wrong lesson to take away from all this nonsense. Sunitha can't help where she was born, and probably also can't help it if her father is a mercenary or not. (And I suspect he isn't, but he is coming off rather badly in all this... PR doesn't seem to be his strong suit.)

Anyway, I'm solidly behind Sunitha, and can only hope she continues her upward mobility on the WTA rankings. Whether she's home grown or not means nothing. That's like saying we should be against Prakash because he grew up in California...

Here's the revised article link: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003 ... 072000.htm

-neil

Kumar · Post by **Kumar** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 7:04 pm

I think we can never compare PA with Sunitha Rao. PA has a sporting tradition and Vijay will probably never go to AITA for funding.

And we know what AITA is capable of, when it comes to money. Don't you guys remember the fight Ramesh Krishnan / Leander Paes had regarding money, during that glorious Davis cup run when we went all the way to Semi finals. I am not sure whether AITA has mended its ways.

I think Sunitha Rao should concentrate on tennis and prove to everyone that she could do it. Does she have any coach now? Go Sunitha

Post by **jayakris** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 3:26 am

First of all, I like Sunitha Rao a lot. I have been talking about her for 4-5 years in my notes. I would be the first one to come to support her, but this kind of tone from her dad is not helping. Poor girl, to have a dad kill her chances with this kind of hardline talk.

.. To "compensate for" whatever he has spent in the past? .. Give me a break. Has AITA compensatred ANYBODY for what they have spent before age 19? .. Somebody should ask Vece Paes how much he spent on LP (forget that, LP at least earned money later. Somebody should ask Mr. Vaidyanathan about family property he sold to support Niru's development. No a paisa has come from anywhere to "compensate" him). Mr. Manohar Rao is probably saying something for "emphasis effect" that would not sound as bad in US as it is sounding in India.

I don't think he has spent 5 crore ($1 Million) on her so far. No way. Nobody has, and nobody CAN spend that much in 6 years of player support. If he has and has that kind of money, he should be asking for NOTHING now! .. He either missed one zero in his calculation or Kamesh misquoted him on that. Kamesh did not quote him to be asking for all that money to be compensated for. Mr. Rao simply seems to hav spoken loosely. Cannot do that in India, and he should know that.

He is looking at this wrongly if he says "she can do da da da for India, but she can't do it for free".

Why is he dealing with AITA anyway for MONEY?? .. yes, AITA can give some money to get her in and support her - but what Anil Khanna is saying (30 to 40K per year) is really all they SHOULD pay her. More than that would seriously cut into what they can do for others. Looks, there is SM, HM, RB, etc who also need some support from them. That is not fair.

Yes, AITA has INDEED changed quite a bit from the RK Khanna/ Ramesh Desai days. They do have slightly looser purse strings than before. That doesn't mean that they are just thowing money around. Neither is it right to assume that they have infinite finances. They don't.

That USTA has cut out funding and wildcards has less to do with AITA and more to do with similar PR hassles in the US as well. If Indians who are starving for sports heros and are willing to go the extra mile to take Sunitha on her word and enthusiasm for India (which I hear is genuine, as in PA's case), can get turned off so fast with hardline talk, imagine what USTA would feel if such talk has gone from Mr. Rao to them.

Come on, sir, you are really souring this situation for no apparent reason. hardline talk will go NOWHERE in India. Take the $40K from AITA, get going, spend a bit more for a year or two to get her up inisde the top-100 or top-50 and create some positive news with India going to Fed Cup world group, which can happen even in two years if she is ready with Sania. And then get the Indian industry to sponsor her for big money. Please don't mess this up. We beg you!

Jay

Post by **jayakris** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 4:59 am

The latest on Sunitha. The "talks" are off, as they really should be. AITA should not take this kind of disrespect to them and the country. Sorry, Mr. Manohar Rao, you had your chances and whether you had a point in anything or not, the way you present it has killed your chances.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/prin ... PO05.shtml

Boy, I cannot believe the extent of tactlessness he is showing.

And I truly feel bad for Sunitha. I mean really, can you imagine any sponsoring sources really being able to handle the type of hardline abrasiveness (I am putting it very midly) that Mr. Rao is showing? . Hope she can survive this kind of stuff.

AITA did go up to above $50K a year guarantee. Heck, how many in the US get that kind of money support from USTA, I would like to know! .. To ask an Indian association to do this while Sunitha has hardly started winning challenger matches regularly, is a bit too much. I think she is VERY good, but this thing cannot move till she is on her own and is not managed by Mr. Rao, or he has a total change of attitude.

By the way, I am not sure the 50 lakhs that is quoted here is right. Now I hear that he did indeed tell AITA that he has spent $925,000 on her and wants AITA to compensate for that (the 5 crore that we heard earlier). Fat chance to get that from India. I cannot believe that an NRI would try to rip the home country like that. Please stay in Florida, sir, if you are not willing to show some respect to your motherland's institutions.

She is the ONLY ONE who can take India to the World Group?? What does he think India is? What evidence/data does he have to support such an infuriating statement? Sunitha has not done all that much yet for him to claim that. He might need to be reminded that Nirupama was hardly 10 months older when she was ranked in the 130s at 19, winning double crowns in a challenger!

Jay

nkoth · Post by **nkoth** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:25 am

This whole situation is quite saddening...

What more need be said? Sunitha is just going to have to try and tune out all this nonsense going on around here and concentrate on her playing... She has the Bronx Challenger next week with a really tough field -- perhaps she can start showing what's she's made of ahead of the US Open?

-neil

Post by **jayakris** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:38 am

Till we hear otherwise, or any statements in poor taste from Sunitha, we should all give her the benefit of doubt. I still support the girl and will continue to cheer for her. Go Sunitha!

Jay

IndiaFan1 · Post by **IndiaFan1** » Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:18 pm

I agree with Jay completely. Some time ago, I read Mr. Rao's comments in Indian newspapers and saw this coming. At that time, he also claimed major discrimination against his daughter in the US. Granted, there would be some, but I do not think these days it is enough to stop a truly talented player. At that time also he was demanding money from AITA for the amounts spent on her.

I think he is going to ruin her chances both here and in India. We can't expect Sunitha to go independent of her Dad a la Mary Pierce. Mr. Rao sounds more like Mr. Williams, father of Serena and Venus. Those girls have delivered and more. Will Sunitha? That is the $50K question

.

Regardless, we should all wish Sunitha the best. Hopefully, she will make her racquet do the talking and earning

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