MUMBAI, MARCH 10: Gaurav Natekar, a member of the Indian Davis Cup team that played the semi-final after defeating France in Frejus in 1993, has announced his retirement. The 26-year-old, a seven-time National champion, said he had nothing more to achieve in the National circuit. ``I am a person who would rather look back and find talent behind me than reach forward. I cannot keep winning the National title, I would rather call it a day,'' the son of former National badminton champion Nandu Natekar said today at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).Gaurav, now a coach with MSLTA, said he was happy with his coaching assignment. He handles the MSLTA unit of the all-India scheme for grooming promising youngsters, floated by the Dharam Hinduja-All India Tennis Association (DHAITA). He said the emphasis in India was on getting into the team. ``For ages, the Indian Davis Cup team has always had two players dominating everything. That is too much to expect from the two.'' He felt this aspectacted as a deterrent to the other members of the team.He was appreciative of AITA programmes but felt there was no need for them to send four players to international tournaments. ``Instead if they send three exciting players and a coach with them, it will be a tremendous learning process for the juniors. ``In this regard, I think, the MSLTA has done better. They seem to have more ideas,'' he said. Gaurav, a player more in the classical mould, never disliked his style of play. ``Tennis is definitely a power game, I had good endurance fitness, but at times, I felt I could do with a bit more power and wished I was a step faster.''Significant Achievements Represented the country in Davis Cup from 1992-97. Was member of the team that reached the semi-final in '93 Double gold medallist at the Hiroshima Asian Games in 1994 (team event and doubles with Leander Paes) Double gold medallist in SAF Games in Colombo '93, Dhaka '95, and Madras '97. Won the National hard & grasscourt titles in singles and doubles in the same year (1992) Two National singles, seven doubles and five junior titles. Highest ATP ranking: singles 272, doubles 167.
