Dubai: Fast-upcoming Indian youngster Somdev Devvarman is among his most severe critics.
"Yeah I am my most severe critic, even more than you guys," Devvarman told Gulf News after losing in three sets against Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the second round of the 2010 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships on Wednesday.
"I think I care more about myself than you guys care about me. That's why it really doesn't bother me when people say all sorts of things in the media. I care about my improvement more than anything else. When I see myself throwing away a few chances I see myself being bothered more than it bothers you guys. It's because it concerns me," said the man from Assam, northeast India, who turned 25 last week.
This year Devvarman created his own bit of history when he became the first Indian to make it past the first round at the annual Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships. This was the best-ever singles showing by an Indian in the 18 years of this competition.
After two tough qualifying rounds, Devvarman had defeated Swiss Davis Cup player Marco Chiudinelli in their first round meeting on Tuesday, only to fall at the next hurdle against Baghdatis on Wednesday.
"I don't think my performance was particularly great [against Baghdatis]. I played pretty badly in the first set and was broken. But I played a pretty solid second set where I took my chances. But in the third set I played a couple of bad shots," Devvarman said.
"It's just a bad effort on my part and good effort on his part. Even the games I got broken I don't feel I was outplayed. It was just a question of some lose shots against a quality player who is going to get you on the wrong end of the stick, that's all," he said.
"I don't think it was a lack of experience for me. It was just some bad execution. He's obviously very good, but he's not a top player. He's been very good in the past and this is not the first time that I've played against a top player," he added.
With next week's Davis Cup in Russia next up, the Indian has reason to be optimistic despite the loss here.
"I can't be too disappointed in this tournament as I came in as a qualifier and qualified, did well to do that and won a match. Obviously there are a couple of bright spots there," Devvarman admitted.
After that will be the long trip to the US, where Devvarman will once again try to qualify for the two big tournaments there in March.
"I am planning on playing Indian Wells and Miami in the qualifiers. I am still No 140, and I don't know what I will be after this week. But I am pretty sure I won't be in the main draw so soon. Hence the next goal for me is to get ranked higher so that I can be in the main draws at such tournaments," he said.
