The Realities of Tennis
It is a good time to take note of the practical issues we face when playing Tennis. Not only Competitive Tennis but also Recreational.
We are not the only nation in Asia to lose our Tennis standard and facilities, so quickly and so much, after independence. Today, in many Asian countries, the standard of Age-group Tennis of Under-15 is the National standard. We are one of them. This makes WTA and ATP out of bounds for us. When it comes to Recreational Tennis, we are short of players and courts by the score, even for an evening game.
Up to the ’70s, Sri Lankan Tennis was in the 1st 10 of Asia. At one point, we, along with the Philippines, were Ranked 3 behind then Asian giants India and Japan. It was common for Sri Lankan players to win titles in Asia. This situation does not exist anymore.
Asia countries opened up and started Tennis after the 1960’s. Today, Asia is very large and most of them play Tennis. Former European colonies had a head start. Vietnam had the largest amount of Tennis players as a French Colony, and estimated to have had over 1,000 Tennis clubs and many thousand Tennis courts. India, then including Pakistan and Bangladesh, was the next in number of players and facilities.
Today, Asian includes Asian minor, Central Asian Republics, Southeast Asia, the Far East, China, Himalayan countries, Mongolia and Asia Oceania. I will not be wrong to say half the world. In this picture, Sri Lankan Tennis is certainly not among the top 15 countries. Even with this size of Asia and numbers, at the Asian Games, Tennis had only 23 countries participating.
What’s more, US-Open series has taken the best into North America. Most of the popular sports have annual events which are lucrative and appealing to watch, than the 4-yearly regional Olympian format events now.
Issues of Tennis
Originally, like in all colonies, the sport of the Government servants and mercantile executives was Tennis. The spinal cord of Tennis in Sri Lanka was the Government Services Sports Club. They took Tennis to every town which had a government office. Housed the largest number of Tennis courts in the island, which was half of the 400 courts. These establishments accommodated the sport to an extent that is surprising by today’s standards. The administration of the sport also came from this calibre of executives. This was the engine that boosted Tennis in the island. This engine has lost all its steam. It is a Museum relict.
Tennis was played in Sri Lanka from Kankesanthurai to Dondra and from Colombo to Batticaloa. Every town had an annual Tennis championship. Now, it is the Age-group school’s standard that is called our National standard. All selections come from this low base.
Big players of Asia
It is China that leads Asian Tennis. At the beginning of the last century, Tennis went to China. French teacher to the last Emperor of China, played Tennis. Then Chinese history did not permit games such as Tennis. Now, with their economic boom, even the condominium sales slogan boosts their image with Tennis courts.
China, Taipei, Korea and India have players in WTA and in ATP. Those Asian countries which were within the Soviet Republic, now independent, have quality players. [All those countries which have ‘-istan’ suffixed to their names, are from Soviet occupied Asian countries]. In the former Soviet ‘-istans’, Tennis is played by their army. With well-developed physical ability, their Tennis reached international level quickly. It will not be surprising if they dominate Asian Games Tennis in Indonesia.
Overplayed objective
It is general knowledge that most players play Tennis to fill their CV. [I refrained from mentioning this before, for the shame we will be crowned with].
Unlike in Athletics, we do not have timing systems to select players. We have to select the best from the list of ranking aggregated from events, which are not recognised anywhere, apart from our little room. [Unfortunately, I am the culprit for starting it in 1998, with good intentions, as the National coach]
Many countries are extracting their ranking, from the professional ranking. This is a good road for us. Right now, I think our Tennis contingent to the Asian Games will be home well before the closing ceremony.
Recreational Tennis
A regular recreational player’s face on a rainy day is befitting to give a coin, if he stands at a traffic light. Denying afternoon Tennis to them is crime committed, regardless where it comes from; Heavens, Tournaments, Curfew or little illness.
Tennis is a partner sport. A disadvantage which Tennis overcame by ‘club participatory culture’. Clubs are no more a functional entity. The supporting base for any sport is the recreational player base. Here is the issue. Colombo Fort had over 20 courts. City swallowed it with concrete and car-parks, considering it is ok. They refused to create anything new, even remotely as the urban territories. Now, recreational players are beggars at traffic lights, even on a sunny day! Right now, this is the saga of Tennis in our little island.
George Paldano, Former int. player;
Accredited Coach of German Federation; National Coach Sri Lanka & Brunei, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup captain/coach – contact
+94 77 544 8880 geodano2015@gmail.com