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Suraj Prabodh looking to shine at Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger

Karnataka's Suraj Prabodh, a wildcard entrant at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger, is hopeful of turning in a good display in the event that gets underway at the KSLTA courts on Monday (November 20).

By Aravind
Suraj Prabodh

Bengaluru, November 18: Karnataka's Suraj Prabodh, a wildcard entrant at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger, is hopeful of turning in a good display in the event that gets underway at the KSLTA courts on Monday (November 20). Prabodh, 22, will face 21-year-old Swedish star Elias Ymer in the first round.

"It's a privilege to just play in such tournaments," Prabodh, a native of Mysuru, told reporters. "This is the first time I am participating in such a high-level tournament. I would like to thank the organisers for the wildcard which will help me get the exposure by participating with such players, see how they train and play.

"Secondly my expectation is that I'll just go out there and try to get my game up, implement what I do in practise. For the past two months I have been training for this tournament. I was trying for the wildcard. Now it has been given, I will try and play my best tennis."

Prabodh, however, is not taking the game lightly, knowing that Ymer is ranked 146th in the world. "His ranking says everything," Prabodh said. "He is seeded here and there is nothing much to say [laughs]. I haven't watched him play. So ill discuss with my coach and may be watch his practise sessions and have a strategy."

Prabodh revealed that he has been training at the Harvest Tennis Academy in Jasowal, Punjab, for the last three months under Milos Pavlovic. He attributes his rise in form, where he surged to the final of the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship but lost to Dalwinder Singh, to his new training regime in Punjab. He was previously training in Mysuru with his father M Renukananda Prabodh.

"It was the first time I performed that well in a Fenesta tournament," he said. "Even when I was a junior, I couldn't do that well. My best result was reaching the pre-quarters. This rise in my performance is all thanks to the Harvest Tennis Academy. My coach there is Pavlovic and we have been training very hard.

"After all these good weeks, I just want to keep continuing the same. The competition here is obviously so high. But I am not going to get demoralised thinking about that. I'll go there and play my game."

Talking about specifics, Prabodh said his fitness has improved a lot more since joining the new academy. "The main thing was fitness," he said. "While training in Mysuru, the Mysore Tennis Club provided everything for me. But fitness was the main issue. Right now, there is considerable progress. It is better now. So I am feeling better on the court... when I am reaching the ball. So most of the players, when they hear that I have a single-handed backhand, they just try and attack it. But I am not scared. I am more confident and am able to manage."

Prabodh's coach, Pavlovic, pointed out that Prabodh's single-handed back-hand shouldn't be considered a disadvantage. "A single-handed backhand has some advantanges and disadvantages," Pavlovic said. "We are focussing on the advantages. It helps him get closer to the ball, create better angles. But he needs to be more aggressive, come forward into the court and hit a lot of rising balls. That's important."

In another exciting first-round match, wildcard N Sriram Balaji was drawn with fellow Indian and third seed Yuki Bhambri, a finalist at the Pune Open ATP Challenger this week.

The $100,000 tournament is being promoted by the Karnataka Tourism department, headed by tourism and IT minister Priyank Kharge.

"Bengaluru is known for its sporting culture," KJ George, minister for Bengaluru, said. "In my younger days, I have seen a lot of tennis. But the number of events was less. Thanks to Kharge, we have a young dynamic leader in our government.

"There are eminent tennis players from here already, and our neighbouring Chennai city. Many more youngsters have to be given exposure (through such tournaments). We hope they will come forward to play not only Davis Cup but also Wimbledon. The government will support everyone."

Story first published: Saturday, November 18, 2017, 16:17 [IST]
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