Future tense for Sania Mirza

Any appraisal of Indian tennis is incomplete without the baffling phenomenon that is Sania Mirza. In a year that saw her surpass $1 million in career prize money earnings (the first Indian woman ever to achieve the feat), a doctorate from Madras University, numerous appearances with Bollywood personalities and countless endorsements, she continues to plummet to new depths in her career.

From the high of No 27 in the year before last, 2008 saw Sania sink without a trace.
If quarterfinals at Hobart can be called a high, then that’s about the lone bright spot in a year marred with multiple layoffs due to right wrist strain, adductor strain, cramping and total nervous breakdown that led to deep depression. She dropped out of the top 100 for the first time since 2005.

In an era when supreme fitness is the name of any game, Sania’s battle seems uphill.

Elsewhere, sporting brilliance continues to be overshadowed by petty-minded politicking. After successfully leading India in two consecutive Davis Cup (Asia/Oceania zone) rubbers over Uzbekistan and Japan, Leander Paes stepped down as captain owing to a players’ revolt engineered to a large extent by his estranged partner, Mahesh Bhupathi, and with two ageing youngsters at the forefront. India lost the World Group play-off that was to follow against Romania 1-4.

Among the silver linings, it was the rise of young Somdev Devvarman, touted by the likes of former Davis Cup captain Naresh Kumar as the “future Indian No.1 and the anchor of Davis Cup campaign.”

In the twilight of their careers and fighting to stay in shape among a generation of super fit athletes, Paes and Bhupathi provided us the most enduring moments. Yet again.

The old warhorse Paes bagged the US Open mixed doubles crown with Cara Black and went within two points of claiming the doubles title with Lukas Dlouhy in the same tournament. The eight-time Grand Slam winner has now set his sights on London Olympics. Critics have eaten crow before for not taking him seriously.

Ditto Bhupathi. Despite being a successful businessman, the 10-time Grand Slam winner still has enough motivation to bag three more ATP Tour titles with Bahaman partner Mark Knowles.

That’s all very well and a tribute to their insatiable hunger to win, but the Indian kitty seems threadbare otherwise.