No stars, no hype but tennis circus rolls on

But let’s get the facts first. The tournament is into the semi-final stage now. The drawsheet says there are 24 participating teams, but 13 of them just haven’t turned up. Not that it would have made a difference anyway. Half of these teams are, after all, one-woman sides, where the second player is necessary only for the doubles. So, it does not really matter who the third player is. She could be a gymnast or a grand niece of Raja Ravi Varma as is the case with two of them who threw their racquets around on Sunday.

After a dozen walk-overs and many more banana matches, two quarters were scheduled for Sunday morning. But nobodyknows when the elite teams, which have been seeded directly into the last eight, will arrive. Neither Mumbai nor Bangalore University has reported yet. Pune University, who have to play Bangalore in the quarters are hoping they don’t turn up. That means their third walk-over in as many matches, and a direct semi-final ticket. Now for the other hot-shot teams. Defending champions Madras chugged into the Capital on Saturday morning, and after seeing the hellhole they had to stay in, sprinted from the campus into the first rickshaw they saw.

In fact, Baroda University, who won their way to a quarter-final meeting with Madras on Sunday morning, packed their bags and took the first train home when they saw their first opponent — Sai Jayalakshmi — one of India’s best.

Going further off-court, the accommodation is pathetic. All that is provided is a room with stained, wet walls, mattresses and windows half-covered with cardboard or newspaper. And, this story will not end with the women’s final on 11th. Afterthe ladies leave, it will be the men’s turn.

From what sources in the University say, and what is seen, it seems that the money that is provided to the organising university is not flowing where it should. While one of the team coaches says that the University is given a grant of Rs 30,000, other sources say that Rs 22,000 has been paid to Delhi University this year. Since the rooms are free and food is not being provided, it is highly improbable that the entire amount is being spent on the maintanence of the courts and other stuff. The least the organisers can do is to ensure hot water facilities. Students, especially from the Southern states have had a terrible, bathless week in the cold.

Meanwhile, today’s quarter-final matches between Osmania and Punjab turned out to be one big joke. Osmania, after a frenzied shopping trip to Janpath on Saturday, had very little to offer on court against the strong Chandigarh girls. Adding the right touch of humour to the Sunday morning picture was the hyperactiveChandigarh manager-cum-team photographer.

Standing right in the middle of the two courts, he and his camera went berserk when he knew his team was heading for a win. Even as his star player Simmi Rani is taking her backswing for a forehand he would let out a small shriek, "Steady," and click the moment for his little album. Though Simmi Rani and Co. knew they had just won the easiest tie of the tournament, it was a perfect weekend for the manager. With the Delhi-Mumbai quarterfinal clash scheduled for Monday morning, and the whereabouts of the Mumbai side not known until this evening, we are looking at a possible Madras-Delhi semi-final on Tuesday.

In the bottom half of the draw, Pune are hoping that Bangalore too decide to stay put at home, so the stage, right now, looks set for a Madrasi finale.

With bamboo poles as side-sticks and a brown grassy patch turned into a quickfix tennis court, the classiest thing about this circus is that certificate you get to flash around on the job hunt after doing thecollege circuit. Anyway, it’s great fun to play love and love matches. You’ll never get so many chances except at this yearly farce.