After silver in Asian Video games 2023, Saketh Myneni has eyes set on Paris 2024 Olympics

Many athletes take into consideration life after sports activities after 35. However for Davis Cupper Saketh Myneni, the journey looking for excellence on the highest stage goes on.

The gifted tennis participant, who achieved a career-best doubles rating of No. 74 this yr, proved some extent or two by successful the lads’s doubles silver (partnering Ramkumar Ramanathan) within the current Asian Video games.

“Successful my third medal within the Asiad is a really fabulous feeling for me. It solely reminds you that you’ve got rather more to offer to a sport which is a sheer ardour for me. I simply can’t consider staying away from it,” he tells Sportstar in a chat.

Hangzhou: India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan (L) and Saketh Myneni pose with their silver medal throughout the presentation ceremony of males’s doubles remaining tennis occasion on the nineteenth Asian Video games, in Hangzhou, China.
| Photograph Credit score:
PTI

“Undoubtedly, the Asiad silver is a superb morale booster as I chase the dream of representing India on the 2024 Paris Olympics. I’m acutely aware of the challenges forward, the most important being to be very constant within the ATP circuit to maintain bettering my rankings. Sure, it’s by no means going to be simple for positive,” Saketh defined, “I owe so much to my spouse for this Aisad medal and in reality for letting me get pleasure from tennis with such ardour.”

“By all means, successful a medal in your nation in a Continental Video games which comes each 4 years does replicate so much, particularly about the place you stand. I’m actually glad to have pulled off this silver and thank my teammate Ramkumar for making it actually memorable,” he stated.

“It has been actually robust for me to handle, particularly the funds as I couldn’t discover any sponsors. I began by investing the cash I earned as a coach earlier than turning Professional. From then on, I’ve been reinvesting every little thing I earn on tour again into tennis to fund my participation in tournaments, as we pay from our pockets for journey lodging, vitamin teaching and coaching.”

ALSO READ: High 10 moments from Asian Video games 2023 – Half 2

He added that there was no funding or assist from the governments or nationwide sports activities federations even after the 2014 medals within the Asian Video games.

“Tennis gamers in India want a system to assist them from a younger age to realize the dream of successful Olympic medals and making singles Grand Slam champions,” he stated.

“Everyone knows it’s a very robust circuit on the market and the most important goal is to play as many ATP tour occasions and Grand Slams as attainable, put up a very good present and preserve bettering my rating.”

Sports activities Minister R.Ok. Roja felicitating tennis participant, Saketh Myneni, who received silver medal in Asian Video games – 2023, at a programme organised by AP Garden Tennis Affiliation in Vijayawada on Sunday.
| Photograph Credit score:
G N RAO / THE HINDU

What retains you going?

“I repeat, it’s my ardour … I misplaced lots of precious time due to the pandemic. Attempting my greatest to make up in a giant manner. It’s demanding to journey 30 to 40 weeks yearly. I needed to respect my physique and cease enjoying singles. The main focus is now extra on doubles,” Saketh stated.

“I sincerely imagine I can nonetheless do properly for some extra time and can quit solely when my physique doesn’t reply to the challenges of enjoying within the circuit.”

On the Tennis Premier League, Saketh felt it was an ideal platform for the younger expertise, particularly the form of promotional occasions they had been planning.

“These items guarantee the specified publicity and we hope to see many extra younger champions,” he concluded.