Trapped in India, Dmitrii Baskov is happy feeding the masses

Bengaluru, May 12: Moldova's Dmitrii Baskov, who was in India to train at the Ace Tennis Academy in Ahmedabad, had to stay back in the country due to the lockdown enforced as a result of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and is now happy feeding the masses.

The 26-year-old was part of Team Moldova in the inaugural ATP Cup. After that, Baskov was excited to visit India for the first time on the way home to train in Ahmedabad.

"January in Moldova, it's cold, there isn't much space to practise, nobody to really practise with. India was just a good place to make a stop," Baskov was quoted as saying by ATPTour.com.

Baskov had booked a ticket to fly home on March 31. However, those plans were put on hold by the spread of the the dreaded coronavirus.

"When the lockdown hit here in India, it was already pretty big in Europe. I had heard about Italy, Germany, and even Russia. When things were happening, I didn't know if I should leave or stay. I decided staying in India might be safest," Baskov said.

The Moldovan had only good things to say about India.

"It's just a good place, honestly. A lot of fresh air, sun, space to do fitness or whatever by myself. I can't do that in my apartment in Moldova."

Baskov had never been in Asia before, but he is certainly making an impact. He is staying with the academy's director, Pramesh Modi, and his wife, Ami Modi.

One day they were talking about the situation, and Baskov recalls Ami worrying about the people who were not getting food.

"We were like, 'Okay, let's try to cook some food and distribute it on the street. That was the first day. We did maybe 200 portions. We drove around, gave the food, everyone was happy and then the next day the same thing happened. After a couple days we cooked for 500 people," Baskov said.

"I don't know how it happened, but now we're packing every day about 2,000 to 3,000 portions. The government cars come to pick it up because the quarantine is very strict," Baskov concluded.

(Source: ATP Tour Media)