Agartala: India's tennis sensation Somdev Devvarman, who won two gold medals at the Guangzhou Asian Games last month, is keen to train promising players from the northeast, his parents say.
"As he belongs to Tripura, he would be very happy if he gets the scope to teach budding and young players from the northeastern states, where there is no dearth of talented and skilled players," Somdev's father Pravanjan Kishore Devvarman, accompanied by his family members, told IANS.
"Efforts are on to build adequate infrastructure in Tripura for the coaching and practice of the tennis players. If a good tennis court can be built, it would be of big help for Somdev to give training to the youngsters."
Playing all sports
The Tripura government, Tripura Tennis Association and other sports bodies are now busy trying to give Somdev, 25, a hero's welcome when he returns home here December 26.
"Somdev is now in Texas in the US for a month's practice with another world tennis star, Andy Roddick, as his practice partner. He will come to India later this month to participate in the Chennai Open Tennis beginning in January 3," Devvarman, a retired income tax commissioner, said.
Somdev was born in Assam capital Guwahati on February 13, 1985.
"When I was posted in Chennai, Somdev was a student of Class 3 and was playing almost all major sports. Cricket was his favourite game. Coach Abbas Ali and Gopal Rao turned him to tennis," said Devvarman, accompanied by his wife Ranjana and brother Mukut.
Tripura Tennis Association secretary Sujit Roy said: "The All India Tennis Association is also willing to develop a tennis court in Agartala for Somdev and other northeast tennis players." He was the men's single god in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first to do so as tennis made its debut in this edition.
