Somwhere over the rainbow

HARSH LOSSES

But the account of his five top-50 giant-killings is followed by some hurried scribbles of harsh losses. The names of his opponents are not enough,their rankings lending perspective to those defeats. Choosing to miss the Rome Masters — and the two other clay court Masters at Monte Carlo and Madrid before that — he went to play a Challenger event in Croatia,perhaps to get a few more matches under his belt rather than plod on through qualifying rounds in the 56-draw events where he could well lose early. But even at the lower rung of the Tour he lost the first round in straight sets to a player outside top-200. At another challenger in Nottingham in the grasscourt season,he lost to a player outside 150 despite being one set up. The following week at Queen’s was no different — Matthew Ebden,No 168: straight sets.

Soon,he was staring at five consecutive first-round losses. Though he took a well-deserved break post Wimbledon,a right-shoulder niggle had perhaps stayed with him. In the run-up to the US Open then,sometimes it was just tough draws — Mardy Fish in the Atlanta quarters and Baghdatis at Washington DC — or some bad days — he won against Ryan Sweeting in Atlanta but lost to him next week in Los Angeles and then bowed out of Cincinnati qualifiers against 108th ranked Turk Marsel Ilhan.

As India’s leading singles player readies for the final Grand Slam of the year at Flushing Meadows starting August 29 staring at the stiffest of first rounds against Andy Murray,the early exits of the past few tournaments might not be considered the best tune-ups for the US Open.

The 60s in world singles may be a credible zone to be in,but knowing he is capable of much more,he had set himself the top-50 target by year-end which may have got blurred by the recent losses,but could still be plausible.

“Things like this happen on the tour. We have good days and bad,” Somdev says. “This year though I think the good has been more than the bad so I can’t really complain. Obviously consistency is very important to stay on the top. I feel like I’m playing pretty well,but there are certainly areas that still need work. At this level there are no bad players. So winning one day and losing the next is not that unusual. Yes,there are certain matches that you are expected to win and you probably should,but other factors come into play as well.”

PERSONALISED COACHING?

Could it be purely coincidental then that ever since April,coinciding with the slump,Somdev started sharing his coach Scott McCain with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison,the American has shown some tremendous results — taking world number five Robin Soderling to four sets at French Open and number six David Ferrer to a five-setter at Wimbledon — while the Indian is yet to be at his best in this post-sharing phase?

Since Wimbledon,Harrison reached two semi-finals,defeated a top-30 player and jumped to a career-best ranking of 67,a cocky grin in tow,despite starting the year outside of 170s. Though Somdev has always thrived in team situations,whether it was the NCAA collegiate titles at Virginia or the Asian Games where he bagged two gold medals in the absence of Bhupathi,Paes and Rohan Bopanna,he perhaps needs individual attention more than ever at this point as he chases an elusive first Tour title.

His coach,on the other hand,highlights the symbiotic nature of this relationship. “Ryan benefits from Somdev’s wisdom,experience and training. Somdev benefits from having a powerful player to train with,” McCain says. “All players have goals. The successful ones do what it takes to become better tennis players.

“Somdev has and continues to do everything I ask of him. Ryan is young and developing. They both train in Austin with Andy Roddick. Andy likes both guys and wants to see them do well,” he adds.

There is also the practical side to it,one which has to do with costs and convenience. With a full-time trainer apart from the coach,the expenses of a support staff could easily be more than $5000 a week. It’s something that would simply add to the burden when one enters a tournament — when performance will be pressured unnecessarily not with an aim to go deeper into the draw,but more out of a niggling reminder at the back of your mind that you must win three rounds merely to break even.

Since Somdev is based in Austin,Texas,and plays almost the same events as Harrison,their coach is not in an either/or situation right now but the weeks leading to Davis Cup,or other national duties that Somdev performs may prove to be that difference. He leads the Davis Cup charge for India and is targeting an Olympic singles berth next year,something that Harrison doesn’t have to go through yet.

HITTING PARTNERS

“It’s pretty important (to have personalised coaching attention). You get to see another’s point of view and have someone tell you where you’re going wrong and what you’re doing right at every step. Though big changes to your game are only made in the off-season and that’s when you actually seriously work with a coach. It (sharing McCain) is actually nice because I always have hitting partners. Scott is pretty focused on all our games. So wherever possible he will travel with me,” Somdev says.

Another side to it is the one Andre Agassi described in his autobiography Open,how tennis is the most lonely sport and how that can take a toll on one’s psyche. “It’s not cricket or hockey where you can talk to your teammates during a low phase or go for team dinners,it can be pretty tough hitting alone,day in and day out and coming back to an empty room. If Somdev has found an entourage that travels with him everywhere,it’s good for him in every way. And Somdev is intelligent enough to not get into any arrangement impulsively,” CGK Bhupathi,whose son Mahesh also shares his coach with other top doubles player Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor,says.

The pros are perhaps more than the cons but one prominent downside is that you are exposing your game on a daily basis to someone who you could expect to face any time on the Tour,in this case someone who has the same goal of breaking into top-50 and could well achieve it before you.

PEAKS AND TROUGHS

Some also believe that his recent slump is not related to sharing the coach at all. “Tennis players play all year round but can peak only in periods of three-four weeks,three times a year. In Somdev’s case he has done a lot of peaking this year and if there is a slump of form,it is natural. Som is in that stage where his body is overworked and it’s not because his coach’s attention is divided,” Vece Paes reasons out.

Coach McCain,while ticking the ‘satisfactory’ boxes for Indian Wells,Miami,Houston,Belgrade and Wimbledon acknowledges this slight stutter in the career,but is hopeful of better tidings in days to come. “After Wimbledon,Som took a break as his aunt passed away. He competed well in Atlanta,LA and DC but his game is not quite where he wants to be. Also,the long year that includes Davis Cup,CWG and Asian Games took a toll. We hope to have him in full stride for the US Open,Davis Cup,and the fall events,” the coach says.

Somdev’s style,one that involves reaching for every ball and pushing it back in play may also have its deterrents when it comes to making big ranking jumps. The problem with a cardio-vascular game is that there is always someone on the Tour who can better it. “He is very competitive and can easily be top-40 but it has been a long year and his body has been troubling him a bit,because of his style of game it may take him a while longer to make the breakthrough,” Robert  Davis,who coaches Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi,and has watched Somdev closely,says.

He might be one of the few Indian sportspersons who can flaunt a six-pack abdomen but it’s an undeniable fact that Somdev turns 27 next February and is still waiting for his maiden Tour title to come by. His college-days’ peers Kevin Anderson and John Isner both of whom he beat during his NCAA days,have taken the next big step — of maiden titles,top-50 ranks and slaying top players. Anderson recently beat Murray in straight sets and Isner could well have been the man to deny Rafael Nadal his tenth Slam title when he took him to five sets at French Open first round this year.

Somdev has got a lot of tennis ahead of him but he has to channelise his strengths,develop a stroke that should be feared by his opponents and make some smart choices to make sure he achieves his best without losing anymore time. After all,a lot of fans are waiting to add that picture of Somdev holding a singles trophy to their scrap books,even as the man himself eyes the top- 50 threshold.