Amritraj expresses concern at lack of system in Indian tennis

“Just look at the facts and we have to be worried. We have not won any medals in Rio, we have not made the world group stage in Davis Cup in Fed Cup,” the 64-year-old player- turned-commentator said.

Former tennis player Vijay Amritraj with tennis ace Sania Mirza and Somdev Devvarman at Premjit Lall Invitational tennis tournament at Saltlake, Kolkata on Saturday.

Indian tennis great Vijay Amritraj is “worried” at the future of the sport in the country with no one after the likes of Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi able to make a mark at the world stage.

The trio have been the flagbearers of Indian tennis for decades and there’s been a huge void after them.

In the Davis Cup, India has not able to go past the play-offs in last four years, losing to Serbia, the Czech Republic, Spain and Canada in last four years.

These were today highlighted by Amritraj, an Indian member of the Davis Cup team who made the finals in 1974 and 1987. “Just look at the facts and we have to be worried. We have not won any medals in Rio, we have not made the world group stage in Davis Cup in Fed Cup,” the 64-year-old player- turned-commentator said on the sidelines of the Premjit Lall Invitational Tennis tournament here.

“So the question: Is there a system available to be able to provide that? Like Sania in today’s environment, is difficult to emulate by today’s boys and girls.”

“Eventually we need a system in place, like what Australia and Spain do, if we want to compete outside. We are fine if we are competing only at domestic level. But we truly need a system if we want to compete outside,” he said.

In the city for the first time in over three decades, the California-based Amritraj said: “It’s been a long time. I’ve some fond memories of Kolkata, having started my career winning the National Championships. It brings back great memories,” a two-time quarterfinalists in both Wimbledon and Australian Open said.