Indian Davis Cup star says he needs to improve his net-play and finish points better.
Somdev Devvarman’s recent successes augur well for India because he seems to be one of those players who reserve their best tennis while representing their country, a la Leander Paes.
“I love playing in a team. One is often lonely in professional tennis and Davis Cup gives you the opportunity to be part of a team. I always loved being on a team, even in collegiate tennis in the USA,” said the jovial 24-year-old after arriving from Johannesburg on Monday.
India were leading 2-1 going into the final day when Devvarman dropped the first two sets of the reverse singles against Rik de Voest of South Africa.
But he showed superb stamina on high altitude and made an incredible comeback to notch up a memorable five-set win over De Voest and catapulted India into the Davis Cup World Group after 11 years.
Devvarman gave credit to his teammates. “It was an important tie for us and the support that the team gave me from the bench helped a lot. The way Mahesh (Bhupathi) and Leander (Paes) back us youngsters whether they are playing or not, helps us do well,” said Devvarman, adding that he still had a long way to go.
“I generally like to play from the baseline. But I think I have to make better use of the opportunities I create, especially at the net. There were some points that I should have finished more easily during this tie,” said the 133rd-ranked player from Assam.
Non-playing captain SP Mishra was all praise for Devvarman’s game and saw a star in him.
“He is a very reliable player and very strong in defence. His attitude is amazing and he simply refuses to give up,” said Mishra.
Coach Nandan Bal said Devvarman can stay extremely focused.
“He has a wonderful game and is a tireless player. He has a good all-round game and is ever willing to slug it out with the best of opponents. He strokes the ball well and covers the court superbly,” said Bal.
“However, I think there is scope for him to improve tactically. At times, he is a little defensive, or rather, relies more on the opponent’s power to get pace on the ball. The inability to generate pace is the only thing that might go against him when playing top players,” he said.
AITA secretary-general Anil Khanna, who is hoping for a home tie next time, said it were players like Devvarman who gave hope to Indian tennis.
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