Can India produce a Grand Slam Champion within ten years?

[BSharma]

Donald Young won the first round of US open. Second round he got a w/o from Richard Gasquet. Third round he lost to Feliciano Lopez in 4 sets.

I stand corrected.    Donald lost in four sets instead of five.

[BSharma]

... USTA recently started full time resident academy for the top juniors in the country (from age 10 thru 18) at Chris Evert’s tennis center solely for developing top players. This academy is located in my neighborhood. We have to wait and see. These sorts of development are based on hypothesis and theories which are waiting to be verified.

I agree that these developmental centers are based on hypothesis and theories, which are waiting to be verified, but every country has to take these steps to produce the champions of tomorrow.  Mahesh Bhupathi and the tyre company should be applauded for their efforts; our quibble is if one can more or less guarantee a slam champion with these efforts in India and whether 5 and 8 year-old children should be inducted into this type of training program.  The Chinese and Eastern European countries did it with very young children in women's gymnastics, but in that sport the eventual world and Olympic champions are teenagers and hence they have to start training at an early age.

[prasen9]

Absolutely we should applaud those who start these academies and provide any infrastructure possible and support possible to the players.  It is a good marketing ploy to talk about GS winners, but I was just saying that we should talk of a top-50 player in the next 10 years first before we talk about a GS winner.  It has been about two decades since we had a top-50 player and world tennis has been galloping at a faster pace leaving Indian tennis behind (at least in men's singles).  I will be glad if that gap starts to be bridged.

[v george]

Mahesh Bhupathi and Appolo tires has to be applauded for their effort including giving some help to kids who were not selected. A young Sebastian Grosjean was once rejected entry to their academy by the French Tennis Federation. 

[sameerph]

The link provided above by Sameer has the names, ages and residences of the 15 players selected to be trained at Bhupathi's academy.  I admire and applaud what Mahesh has done for Indian tennis and hopefully this venture with Apollo Tyres will produce a new brand of well-trained tennis players in a few years, but I am against a 5-year-old child being accepted into the academy.  Most sports experts feel that 5 year of age is too young to focus on one sport and these young children should play a variety of sports and then focus on one sport once they are older.  It would have been better if the under ten year old children selected to the academy (there are seven of them) were trained locally (six are from Delhi or Mumbai) and brought to the academy about three or four times a year for two-week long training stints.

Yes, IMO they should pick children above 10 years at least. I presume some of the talented ones may be precluded from joining the acadamy because they will have to shift to Bangalore . Not too many Indian parents are ready to let their child go & stay away from home at such a young age.
In fact from eariler group of older kids selected  for MBTA ( Akash, Kyra etc. ) there were some who stayed away as they have to shift full time to Bangalore . ( Yuki being the prominent one).

In any case , those below 10 years will be too young to become grand slam champions even 10 years from now.

[arjun2761]

I think Donald could well be in top 50 next year and could be in top 20 if he gets stronger (and could possibly win a GS if he does all that is needed).

With respect to his loss to Feliciano Lopez, he had that match on his racket and had Lopez on the run through most of that match.  However, he did seem to lack that little extra power with which he could have blown out Lopez in straight sets.  He has very good speed and hands, but since he is on the smaller side, a little extra punch he what he needs to contend at the very top.

Also, with respect to US producing a mens champ, tennis is a very low profile sport in US for boys.  The boys who end up playing tennis are probably outside the top 1000 or so most talented sportsman in any high school senior class across the US.  Therefore, the US tennis academies do not get the most talented boys for any tennis academies.  The US should do better in women's tennis.

[wrestlinglife]

Yes, it is great what Mahesh is doing. People like me who were very good (if i say so myself  ) players playing in a state like Bihar, never really had the opportunity to progress. This will give them a chance!

[gbelday]

USTA recently started full time resident academy for the top juniors in the country (from age 10 thru 18) at Chris Evert’s tennis center solely for developing top players. This academy is located in my neighborhood. 

VGeorge, you in Boca Raton?  We were there last week and even drove by the academy.  What a lovely place!  I was in Miami for so long but never got to visit boca till this trip.  Sorry for putting it here, I can't seem to send PMs for some reason.  Can the moderators help out please?

[v george]

Yes, I live in Boca Raton very close to Chris Evert academy. You can contact me
any time when you are around that area.

[PKBasu]

I think we should applaud Apollo Tyres for this initiative, and Mahesh for getting involved with it as well. I have long maintained that Sania will win a Slam title some day. If she stays fit, I expect her to do it in 2009 (at the AO, Wimbledon or USO). She will certainly win a Slam doubles or MxD title within the next couple of years, and a singles title soon enough as well.

Among the men, the cupboard is still pretty bare, but Yuki Bhambri certainly looks like the male version of Sania in terms of talent and ability at his age. If he can sustain his current trajectory of progress, I don't see why he shouldn't be a contender for a Slam title within the next decade. 

[jai_in_canada]

Speaking of producing Grand Slam champions, check out these two kids!  In the case of Jan Silva, his parents actually moved from the US to France so he could get better coaching!  Amazing how much power and co-ordination these tykes display in their ground strokes on both flanks - and they can serve overhead and volley!!

Jan Silva

Zachary Svajada

[genius]

Sania is going to win it. the only better talent than her could someone who has the high quality serve
too. but its better than what 99% of the tour has!

[amr090]

Speaking of producing Grand Slam champions, check out these two kids!  In the case of Jan Silva, his parents actually moved from the US to France so he could get better coaching!  Amazing how much power and co-ordination these tykes display in their ground strokes on both flanks - and they can serve overhead and volley!!

Jan Silva

Zachary Svajada

they should get these kids to play each other haha.  amazing i hope these parents dont burn out their kids with all this though, sometimes parents tend to take things to the extreme...i hope they let him be a normal little kid.

[Insider]

Welcome Anand.  Good post!