Chennai lad Manish takes it one match at a time
Manish’s journey into tennis began as a mere hobby, cultivated by his father, who encouraged him to partake in physical activities at the nearby court.
Manish Sureshkumar returns a serve during his outing at National C’ship
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu’s been in the fore of things when it comes to sports in the recent past, with medal winners from the state at the Asian Games and the successful hosting of the India v Australia cricket match in the city, amongst others.
Amidst all the sporting action that’s going on, Manish Sureshkumar, a resident of Shenoy Nagar in Chennai, whose determination to carve a niche for himself in tennis shines brighter than ever as he trains for the upcoming ITF tournament in Ahmedabad. Manish recently clinched the doubles title alongside Sai Karteek Reddy at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship.
Manish’s journey into tennis began as a mere hobby, cultivated by his father, who encouraged him to partake in physical activities at the nearby court. This modest beginning has propelled the young lad from Tamil Nadu to big heights, with his career-best ATP ranking of 508 achieved in 2019.
In a conversation with DT Next, Manish revealed that he initially played the game purely for fun, gradually finding a delicate balance between studies and tennis. He admitted, “I haven’t tasted much success yet, but I derive immense happiness from the game.”
He started his tennis journey at the age of 15, nearly giving up on it just last year, facing the doubts that often plague those pursuing sports that don’t guarantee immediate sponsorship or overnight fame.
Drawing parallels with Sumit Nagal, India’s top-ranked tennis player, who quoted having just 80,000 rupees in his account due to sponsorship struggles, Manish empathized with the financial challenges of the sport. He confessed, “Last year, I hit rock bottom and contemplated quitting altogether.
It was my coach and my father who pushed me to persevere. When you see people of your age leading successful lives while you grapple with doubts and self-fund your competitions, it becomes incredibly challenging.”
“Sumit Nagal faces funding difficulties as India’s top ranked player; I’m a rookie that’s up and coming, so the challenges are even bigger. Even if I had to travel alone for international tournaments, I wouldn’t break even,” he added.
Concerns about his game and physical fitness also beset Manish. He suffered an abdominal strain that hindered his performance in a previous ITF outing and he twisted his ankle in Jakarta.
These setbacks weighed heavily on his mind because he recognized the importance of fitness in his game and didn’t want to burden his father. “I want to manage my tennis expenses independently because my father already has a lot of expenses to cover” he said.
Manish entered the Fenesta National Tennis Championship this year as its defending champion in the singles event, a victory that paved the way for him to secure a job in the Income Tax department. “The job has helped me a lot, it has done me good.”
Reflecting on his journey, Manish spoke fondly of Chennai’s Ramkumar Ramanathan, who won silver in the doubles event with Saketh Myneni at the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
“I’ve known Ram for a long time, and seeing him achieve brings so much joy and at the same time it motivates me to keep playing and give my best.”
With a series of upcoming tournaments in India on his sights, Manish is gearing up to prove his mettle, starting with the ITF-M15, determined to make a name for himself in the world of tennis.
