Hyderabad ace tennis player urges athletes to stay disciplined

Hyderabad: Every year on August 29, India observes National Sports Day. This day commemorates the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, a legendary hockey player who is regarded as one of the sport’s finest players. He won numerous Olympic gold medals and was a prominent player in India’s 1920s and 1930s hockey hegemony.

According to a FICCI report published in 2018, only 1 per cent out of 62 per cent of youngsters interested in sports end up choosing sports as a career option in India. This is in contrast to other parts of the world where at least 50 per cent of sports enthusiasts choose sports as a career.

Anirudh Chandrasekar an international tennis player from Hyderabad started his journey as a tennis player at the age of seven. At the age of 12 he won his first juniors tournament, which left a lasting impact on his life and gave him the belief to purse tennis as a profession.

Speaking exclusively to The Hans India Anirudh Chandrasekar said, “Sports must undergo a lot of adjustments if they are to grow nationwide. First and foremost, people must broaden their horizons outside of cricket, as this sport receives the majority of media coverage and financial support. All sports should get financial support from the general public and the government, this will lessen the financial strain on athletes. Tennis is also a very expensive sport, but my parents believed in me and did everything they could to support my athletic endeavours financially.”

He adviced the upcoming players to stay disciplined and keep working hard because that is what will enable them to succeed and there is no room for distraction. “It is not about being good at the junior level, it is about being good at the senior level, and for that you need to make sure you are constantly working hard and make sure you have the right coach, I was extremely grateful in that regard as my brother was my coach,” he said.

Speaking about his future aspirations as an international tennis player he said, “My long-term ambition is to compete in the Olympics and Davis Cup for India, and aside from those two, I want to play the Grand Slam and compete at the highest level every week.”

The Indian government should design a comprehensive and long-term sports development strategy that involves coordination among government agencies, sports federations, educational institutions, and other stakeholders.

It can also encourage corporate sponsorship and partnerships to boost funding for athletes and sports events. This could help create a robust sports ecosystem and encourage youngsters to consider sports as a career option.