Wheelchair tennis player Madhusudhan looks to battle odds, discrimination to make India proud

Bengaluru, July 16: The climb up the stairs is the most difficult aspect of Madhusudhan H's training routine. It's not the forehand return that he's trying to strengthen or the serve he's aiming to get into the box, but just those six steps to get onto the court.

Fresh off participating in ITF's International Wheelchair Tennis Championship (Panthera Midnight Sun Trophy) from June 25-28 at Pieta, Sweden, Madhusudhan is looking to make giant strides in the sport. And the inaccessibility doesn't help.

"Most tennis courts in the city, and even in the country, are not disabled-friendly," remarks Elvis Joseph, the coach of the upcoming wheelchair tennis player.

And even as he limps up the concrete stairs to enter the clay court, the 'regular' coaches notice him and frown.

Joseph explains why. "The caretakers (and sometimes even coaches) do not welcome these stars as they feel the wheelchair will leave a mark on the court. That's the state of apathy in India presently," added Joseph, the director of the Bangalore School Sports Foundation, an NGO that works with uplifting the underprivileged through sports.

Yet, Madhusudhan does not feel let down. Or rather, he's used to being snubbed this way. The 21-year-old has bigger things on his mind - a dream of participating in the Wimbledon one day and a podium finish at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

"But the biggest challenge for me remains find a regular training venue and partners to practice with," he says. "Most of the courts do not let us play when the normal folks are training. We've been given specific times to train and that is in the middle of the day. Still, I am thankful to the Indiranagar Club (and its president BNS Reddy) for alloting us the court three times a week from 11 am to 1.30 pm. I would like to ideally train all seven days a week but this is a start."

Discrimination be damned, Madhu feels. He has, after all, risen after losing both his legs in a freak train accident 10 years ago and has transformed himself into a fearless competitor in tennis, running and swimming.

Pushed off the train

"It happened on May 30," Madhusudhan says without flinching. "I like to sit (or stand) near the compartment door of a train and observe the scenery. While I was going to Gauribidanur, I felt a push as the train approached Rajanakunte and then I see myself fall out of the train. The train ran over my leg and I was immediately rushed to hospital. I was first taken to the Yelahanka Railway Hospital, then shifted to the Yelahanka Government Hospital and finally to the Victoria Hospital. Both my legs had to be amputed as the infection from one leg had spread because of the delay in receiving treatment."

The next year was the most testing time for Madhusudhan, who battled depression. "It was hard for me to accept what had happened," he says. "I didn't feel like getting out of my home and restricted myself to the room for the next year. But my mother forced to complete my academics and I was then introduced to APD (the Association of People with Disability), who encouraged me to take up wheelchair tennis."

Champion in him

Joseph and Madhusudhan met through the APD. As part of his work with BSSF, Joseph has opened up a home to the deprived and through his 'Champion in me' model, aims to build them personality through sport. It was only natural that Joseph chose to take in Madhusudhan as his ward and oversee his development.

"I felt running was the best way to prove to everyone that I can do everything that they can," Madhusudhan says. "I enrolled myself in the TCS World 10K two years ago and with prosthetic legs made of bamboo and cane, I completed 4.2 km Champions With Disability run. But then my coach told me that I can achieve big things if I improve my tennis skills and to support my family, Joseph got me a job in the ANZ bank. I just need to focus on my tennis now."

Joseph, a former 400m runner himself, has now made it his objective to see Madhusudhan succeed in international tournaments. Though Madhusudhan has previously participated in Sri Lanka and Thailand and the nationals in India, the ITF event in Sweden was his first in Europe. And he got to play against Olympic champions Peter Vikstrom and Petter Edstrom, managing three wins out of five matches.

"It was a great experience playing against them because I finally understood what it takes to compete in an international tournament," Madhusudhan said. "It was all possible because Himalaya came in as a sponsor and agreed to fund my airfare to participate in international tournaments. But it's just the beginning."

It's just the beginning indeed, but Madhusudhan has already made a strong start. And he hopes to leave his mark everywhere - in the tennis world as well as the clay courts, much to the displeasure of those unsympathetic coaches.