Australian Open 2024

[Kumar]

I guess Sanjay and Prasen do make a valid point that Indian families always play it safe (one foot in mud and one foot in the river)

@Jay, totally forgot Rajeev Ram who was ranked as high as 56. Definitely with number of kids that are in junior levels, hope to see some success.

[prasen9]

The problem is Indian American kids in tennis (like my son) get into tennis because they love it, can do well and their parents are well to do enough to send them to good coaching, but the goal is to have an activity to get into Stanford and Harvard. Once they do that, then the lose the fire to be on the tour. Like Samir Banerjee or the other kid who went to Stanford from Indiana. They play a few Challengers to have fun but nothing more than that.

My daughter actually did athletics for the love of it and to see how far she could go. She did not really do sports for the sake of getting into colleges although she had the grades to be competitive. Currently, she is in a great university in Germany but does not want to put in the 6-7 hours a day to be anywhere near being international-class. She said she wanted a "normal life". Her choice, I suppose. I think that "fire" or single-minded passion about the sport is not there. Why? Is it because we don't talk that much about sports in our communities/society/homes? For some African Americans, the heroes are the sportsmen and they really want to emulate their idols. Our sportspeople are not idols to our kids that much. In essence, the question is that "fire" or "drive": is it genetic or is it environmental? Or does it need both?

[Kumar]

Your daughter sounds very matured. Sports as a profession is not for everyone and requires lot more sacrifice.

I feel bad especially for lot of football athletes in America whose entire life is defined and probably written by end of their twenties. They have to live a remainider of life totally unorepared.

[Sin Hombre]

Oldest male... Martina Navratilova at 46 is still the oldest, I think.

What a legend Bops has become! And I am glad that he is also getting that respect now on the tour.

So, we will have somebody in tennis at the Olympics again (hopefully Sumit also). He will be the second oldest male player ever in Olympics history, and the oldest in the last 100 years too. Wow.

I hope he gets the respect on this board.

Now go get an Olympic medal and become the second greatest Indian tennis player of modern times.

[Sin Hombre]

Congrats Bopanna..

Is it not strange that we had three double players that were best of the best, but could not win a single Olympic medal in doubles, but a player who was barely in top 75 won a bronze medal.

While a great achievement, singles in tennis in 1996 was a second class tournament. Doubles at the Olympics post-2000 is harder than doubles at Grand Slams with all the singles greats playing.

[Prem]

And they do it .


[F] (2) Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) d. Simone Bolelli (ITA) / Andrea Vavassori (ITA) 76(0) 75

Rohan is the oldest ever grand slam winner .

Congratulations to Rohan B and Ebden on winning the Title. Hats off to Rohan for winning his first GS men’s doubles title. What a dream start to the year by RB. Long may it continue..

[suresh]

I hope he gets the respect on this board.

[Omkara]

I hope he gets the respect on this board.

Rohan always got respect here, except during his spat with the big ego Leander. Even then, many like be supported him. So not fair to say he didn't get support here. There are forum members who love Leander, no matter what. I believe that's their right to do so. Leander as a player has got India to highs we haven't reached since.

[atula]

HI Folks, HI everybody, I am back after a Long Long Time...

Nevertheless, A great Millstone-Achievement for Bopanna..

That Win in the AO MD Final Really got the Monkey of his back..& the No 1 World Rank in MD as well as the Oldest Tag was the Icing on the Cake & for the Record Books..//

One Cant Ask for More Happy Moments in Indian Tennis Especially..

Bopanna Certainly deserves it & More..Enjoy the Moment Bops..

How long he would be able to sustain the No 1 Ranking Only time will tell..As they Say..

Its One thing to be No1..more difficult to sustain it..

LP Has been 39 Weeks at No 1.MB-2Weeks at No1.RB will beat MB for Sure..
Thoroughly Enjoy the 2 Weeks break BOPS, Rotterdam/Middle-East & Europe Then.before OLY.//

[sameerph]

Welcome back, Atul. I see that you have posted here after almost 4 years. Have seem It is these kind of performances which bring back older users back to the forum. Hope we got more performances like these this year.

[atula]

Certainly..Big Wins like these Bring the Older People More often in the Group..BTW..I was a member/Follower since LP Inagurated the Tennisindia.ORG Domain..way back in 1998-99.

Good Luck to Indian Tennis..//

[Kumar]

I hope he gets the respect on this board.

Rohan always got respect here, except during his spat with the big ego Leander. Even then, many like be supported him. So not fair to say he didn't get support here. There are forum members who love Leander, no matter what. I believe that's their right to do so. Leander as a player has got India to highs we haven't reached since.

I followed Leander paes career right from his bat days and still remember the five setter he played on his debut. I would unequivocally state that Paes is my favorite indian player.

[Kumar]

To close the loop, Sinner wins his first grandslam in a epic five setter coming back from 2 sets down.

[prasen9]

We love Leander and Rohan both here and respect him. A few quirky folks here don't like doubles but they are not the minority. So, it is wrong to allude that he does not get respect here. The non-respectful also don't disrespect him directly. Just disrespect his event.

[SaniaFan]

Also the respect is proportional to the achievements.