Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Tropical storm Danny made Somdev Devvarman wait many hours for confirmation of his place in the main draw of the US Open mens singles,but the Indian took hardly any time to wrap up his match against Polands Jerzy Janowicz on Saturday.
Rain had suspended play in the final qualifying round on Friday with the score agonisingly poised at 6-3 5-2 15-15,with the Indian serving and just three points away from victory. The skies opened up on Saturday as well,but when matches were called to court,the Indian hardly took any time in completing the win,the final score being 6-3 6-2.
I am very happy and excited at having qualified,but this is not where the hard work ends. I have to now prepare well for whoever I am drawn to play, he said.
India has not had a representative in the mens singles main draw of a Slam since 2002 at the US Open,when Prakash Amritraj had been given a wild-card entry.
Somdev has found his form in this US hardcourt season,notching up his biggest win earlier this month over top-20 player Marin Cilic of Croatia at the Legg Mason Classic in Washington,where he reached the quarter-finals.
Ever since the Chennai Open in January this year,the 24-year-olds game had fallen off-track a bit,but his display on hardcourts have given him a second wind,and qualification for a Slam would be well-deserved.
