Sania can crack top 20, says Bhupathi

With an eye on promoting the third edition of the WTA Tier III tournament in Kolkata, Mahesh Bhupathi today took to the tennis court— albeit on sand—to kick off a fun session at Fortune Chariot Beach Resort, in Mahabalipuram. as a prelude to the proper tournament.

With an eye on promoting the third edition of the WTA Tier III tournament in Kolkata, Mahesh Bhupathi today took to the tennis court— albeit on sand—to kick off a fun session at Fortune Chariot Beach Resort, in Mahabalipuram. as a prelude to the proper tournament.

And on the sidelines, he again reiterated his faith in Sania Mirza’s ability to rise in the WTA rankings,

“She is having a great year. Clearly she has left behind the blues. With a little bit of luck, she can crack the top 20,” he said. And he hoped that the two of them will play for a long time in mixed doubles and win a few Grand Slam titles.

As Kolkata gears up for the third edition of the Sunfeast Open, Bhupathi, along with actress Trisha Krishnan, squash player Dipika Pallikal and sports commentator Charu Sharma played an exhibition match of beach tennis today at the resort.

The Sunfeast Open, over the past two years, has brought players like Martina Hingis, Anastasia Myskina, Carolina Sprem, Sania Mirza and Yuliana Fedak to Kolkata, and though the organisers are tightlipped about who may be the star attraction this time, they still promise to bring a few from the top ranked players of the world.

The tournament is scheduled to be held at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata from 17-23 September.

Bhupathi said: “Sunfeast Open 2007 will be bigger and better this year. We are confident that this tournament will attract the best tennis players from across the world to put together some scintillating tennis action for the many tennis fans in Kolkata and rest of India.”

Story continues below this ad

Dipika, who was at the promotional event today, is India’s junior national champion who is also being managed by Globosport. “I am not much of tennis player but being on the same court as Mahesh was a certainly a memorable experience,” Dipika said.

Courtside at Wimbledon

New Delhi: Kolkata’s Abhisekh Mukherjee, a white badge tennis official, is back home after a memorable stint at the hallowed turfs of the All-England Club. Mukherjee had left home, as he had done in the past few years, to officiate in the qualifiers. “But after I worked for a day, I was called by the officials there and told that I had been selected for the main round matches. It was a great honour. I was surprised and very happy,” said Mukherjee over the phone. He got a chance to be on the lines during eventual runner-up Marion Bartoli’s quarter final match as well as the quarter final in the men’s doubles that featured the Bryan brothers. (ENS)