Chennai boy Ramkumar Ramanathan had a great start to the year, drawing at the Chennai Open Tennis Tournament held earlier this month and beating the country’s topmost player Somdev Devvarman. The 19-year-old, who has strong potential for the Davis Cup team, says that he started playing tennis at the age of five. “My father, Ramanathan, introduced me to the sport. From then on, I started playing tournaments. My dad used to accompany me during these travels,” he says, having played his first-ever ATP Tournament at the Chennai Open. “It was a great feeling.”
Beating Somdev Devvarman saw him becoming a sensation overnight. “I had three tough qualifying rounds before facing Somdev. That gave me enough confidence. It was difficult in the beginning of the match to get used to the crowds and the Centre court, but as the match went on, I played better,” he says. Post the match, Ramkumar caught up with Somdev, with whom he practiced. “We met at the locker room after the match and he gave me a couple of tips to improve. It is important to take such feedback, especially if it comes from a good friend,” he adds.
Ramkumar says that if not for tennis, he would have surely pursued cricket, his other favourite sport. “I used to play a bit of cricket and table tennis while I was at school,” says Ramkumar, who idolised Sachin Tendulkar as much as tennis great Roger Federer. He is clear about the road ahead. “I’m currently training at Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona (Spain) and it has top coaches who push me to work harder. It is not easy, but I enjoy it. For the season ahead, I would like to play more tournaments and play a lot of matches, both in the singles and doubles category. I have been included in the Davis Cup squad, as a special invitee. I am looking forward to that,” he says, adding that his dream is to win a Grand Slam title.
Ramkumar says he feels very grateful for the support he has received from his parents. “They have always been by my side. My parents taught me the importance of being disciplined,” he says.
Off the court, Ramkumar, who is pursuing his BA Economics from Loyola College, says that he loves to listen to music. “I also enjoy reading and travelling. Istanbul is a favourite destination. That apart, I also play poker,” he adds.
