Somdev's decision to not turn pro last year

[puneets]

Based on Prasen's request

[prasen9]

Thanks much Puneet.

[jayakris]

Well, I wasn't that against his staying in college, because I felt he knew exactly what he was doing and that it was only his mental strengths that caused him to stay.   The same mental calmness that gives him very high levels of self-confidence in his abilities to do his job like a tennis yogi - one who does his job day after day enjoying his work as his duty, not just focusing on the ultimate goals.   I felt that was the case with him, and thought there was no need to make calculations on what all he might miss out etc.

I don't think his tennis itself would have improved a whole lot last year, but he probably made himself more of a tennis yogi by taking up the challenge of continuing to keep the focus through an extra year AFTER he had accomplished the goal in the third year.  Make no mistake - it does require extreme mental abilities to do what he did in his 4th year, going out there and winning match after match in the regular season, never slacking off, and then finishing the job at NCAAs once again in style.  If he needed training in using his mind to keep his fire in the belly and focus, he got plenty of that in his 4th year.   Itc an only help him now.

All he lost is a bit of money last year.

All we lost is probably smebody at the Olympics in men's singles (now, if he gets up to top-10 or something in a few months, I would really feel bad at a lost chance for even a medal, but otherwise, nothing much lost!)

Jay

[BSharma]

I felt strongly last year that Somdev was making a mistake by staying in college; however, after watching him play in 2008 compared to 2007 (end of college season), I feel that he made the right choice.  As Prasenjit said, hindsight is 20-20.

Significant improvements in Somdev's game that I noticed in last one year:

- Backhand
- Physical fitness
- Mental strength
- Service

Somdev would have improved in all of the above areas if he had turned pro last year, but his improvement would have been slower (just my opinion and not based on facts).  Most importantly, he likes to do things in his own way, and a happy man will usually have better results.  He is the best judge about himself.  Comparing him to Isner and Kevin Anderson is simply an exercise to pass time at the forum. 

[prasen9]

I think the college coaching made him a better player, both skills-wise and mentally.  I have not seen him play in college; this is from reports I have read and/or maybe the general impression I deciphered from the reports.

[BSharma]

One of our bigger concerns about Somdev not turning pro last year was that Isner and Kevin Anderson would get far ahead of him.  Somdev's recent results have shown that his game is better than theirs while staying in college an extra year and graduating with a degree. 

Three cheers for Somdev. 

[Prashant]

I cast the lone 'NO' vote so far. Despite the excellent arguments offered by our forum pundits, I think that experience is experience. It is hard for me to see how Somdev would be behind where he is currently if he had an extra year of pro play. We are not talking about a 16 year old who would have been too raw the previous year. I think his game would have developed to the same or better degree playing challengers (likely the level he would have spent much of the year) as compared to playing in college.

[sameerph]

I agree with Prashant & put "No" vote. I am also of the opinion that he would have made even more progress in his game by playing pros then what he has done by staying on in college for one more year.

[arjun2761]

Tennis wise he would have been better turning pro last year.  He has improved last year in college but could have improved more in the pros especially since he would have been in the top 100 by now. Since he is now 23, some of his improvement is also because he is now in his peak tennis years.

[gbelday]

Well, tennis wise may be he should have turned pro.  But then, he got his degree, had access to coaches and facilities, didn't quite win the team title but won the individual title, probably a whole lot happier having finished his school (that could have contributed to his mental edge too!).  I voted 'yes'.

[gvhvhg]

Hindsight is 20/20 . I don't think things would have gone terribly if he had gone pro last year though, but now he just has an extra year of experience and mental and physical strength. Maybe he would have gone on the same tear he last year, but maybe he would have fallen to a Sam Querrey or a Bobby Reynolds the first time he played him.

[tonytharakan]

I think it's a waste of time debating whether Somdev should have turned pro a year earlier. Ultimately, he didn't and we can't go back in time to change that. I guess the best course now is to hope and pray that he goes from strength to strength and has an injury-free career. He is on a roll now and it's wonderful to see how he keeps surprising everybody by beating higher-ranked opponents. Just wish the Indian media gives him the coverage he deserves.

[PKBasu]

I completely agree with tonytharakan. There is no point debating this now. We debated it extensively last year, I was strongly opposed to him continuing in college, and continue to think that he has lost a precious year on the pro tour. (So I voted no!).
But he has gained a degree (which he clearly wanted), and his game certainly seems to be better now than it was 12 months ago. I do think his game would have been even better had he turned pro a year ago, but I don't think too much damage has been done. Let's all move on, and celebrate the daily joys that Somdev's terrific tennis is bringing us!!!

[prasen9]

I think it's a waste of time debating ...

One could argue that writing in this forum is largely a "waste of time".  I see it as a pastime.  Except for a few connections that were made and a few people who have come forward to helping some of the tennis players, you could say everything else is a waste of time.  We have indeed moved on and all of us are enjoying the terrific tennis.  But, sometimes one(I) is curious about whether opinions have changed.  By discussing his decision then, we wasted our time then, because he (rightly) would just decide on his own.  I do not think any player worth his or her salt would (or should) take advise from this forum.  Anyway, I am just writing why I thought about the poll; as alway one does not need to partake in the discussion if one does not feel that it has anything constructive for them.  It's just a curiosity on my part.

[BSharma]

I think that this poll is a worthwhile effort because it shows the trend in our thinking about Somdev's decision to stay in college to get his degree.  As Prasenjit correctly wrote, pro players should not make career decisions based on what we think.