The newly crowned National junior champion Karan Singh is a natural talent, mostly self-taught, a big game player who believes in the power of being a vegetarian.
National coach Zeeshan Ali has been tuning Karan’s game subtly, making the right plans for him, while the other experienced coach at the National Tennis Centre, Arun Kumar, has been talking to the young lad, motivating him and keeping his mind on the right track.
More than the raw power that his 6’ 2’’ frame, weighing 78 kilograms can generate, Karan thrives on superb technique and timing. Having grown up on clay, he constructs the points before pouncing on the ball for striking telling blows.
He loves serving and often spends one of the two sessions of training in a day, mastering the craft. "My kick serve has improved a lot," says Karan, quite pleased about his overall game.
READ|
Before the national junior championship, Karan had travelled to Egypt for four ITF men’s tournaments. He did well to qualify in one event, had his chances against the fifth seed, and lost three matches in the third set super tie-break.
"It was for the first time I was travelling abroad, and I was alone. I managed well. I did lose one kilogram of weight but have gained a lot of experience. I know what I need to do to get better," said Karan, who has an all-court attacking game that should take him far.
READ|
The last time the Fenesta National Championship was held in 2019, Karan had won the under-16 title in a cracker of a contest, surviving a bunch of match points.
Despite the pandemic and lockdown, Karan was able to sustain his training at the academy set up by his father Ashok Chauhan in Karnal, on four clay courts.
"Our whole family has shifted to the academy. We have hostel facilities for a few players," he said.
Last year, the renowned coach Kawaljeet Singh had done a few stints of training at the academy, ensuring quality guidance for Karan. "Kawaljeet sir helped me a lot, like working on the leg drive in serve," Karan said.
The Fenesta National Championship, in which he will start in the qualifying event, will be a fresh challenge.
Comments
Follow Us
SHARE