Tennis: Olympian Vishnu Vardhan asks for help but who is listening?

In order for them to travel for tournaments across the globe and chase elusive ATP points, high expenses and a lack of assistance from state associations are constant challenges for tennis players. Call it irony that a player, who has played ten years for the country and won a number of singles and doubles tournaments, is now struggling against odds. Suffice to say, winning a number of medals does not ensure players of any further assurance or funds from the government. But despite this, doubles specialist Vishnu Vardhan continued to gift his country proud moments, the same story once again.

Despite a high potential, Vardhan is now in need of financial assistance from the government that will enable him to play more international tournaments. For the past year and a half, the 2010 Asian Games silver and bronze medallist has been running pillar to post for financial aid. But worse, the state government has not lent a hand in continuing their support for the Secunderabad born player.

What has stood out at an early age of eight was solely his passion to win and the ability to work extremely hard at his craft. Having played almost 20 tournaments, the former Davis Cupper had transitioned from singles to doubles. Since then, he had moved up in ranking and won six Challenger titles, four in 2017, and two in 2018. He had won two medals at the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010. After playing the London Olympics in singles and men’s doubles categories, Vardhan attained a career-high ranking of 262 in singles before grappling with a knee injury in 2012.

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Vardhan, who has now dropped to 203 in the ATP doubles ranking, won the men’s doubles gold medal at the recently concluded South Asian Games, pairing up with Saketh Myneni, after playing the Challenger Tennis League in Mizoram. But then how is one to get his ranking up without sufficient aid? Things get even harder to work out when the state-run associations have big-wigs in their committee. An alienated attitude of the officials irked Vardhan who cannot help but frown at the government’s apathy.

Monetary constraints in tennis is not a newly-established affair. Only three months back, youngster Sumit Nagal denounced the lack of funding despite reaching a career-high ranking of 135. Sumit neither had a coach or physio by his side when he won the ATP Challenger title in Buenos Aires due to a lack of funds. Besides immense dedication, discipline, and patience involved in building a career in sports, the high cost of training and equipment could compel one to give up on their dreams. And hasn’t the inaccessibility of required facilities ensured that athletes’ dreams are never translated into reality? Definitely, the questions are endless and need immediate attention.