Sports India

You know him as a player, meet Paes the designer.

Her biggest achievement is that she has opened the doors for female athletes in India,” exudes Leander Paes, refering to Sania Mirza’s recent performances in the Dubai and Australian Open, where she became the first Indian woman to reach the third round.

Mr Paes is happy with the fact that Indian tennis is on the upswing. “Five years ago, people used to ask ‘after Leander who’. We’ve got one now and it’s a lady,” he smiles.

Mr Paes, participating in the ongoing Davis Cup in the Capital, launched his range of tennis apparel in partnership with Dellta Sports on the eve of the event. Christened Dellta Leeg, the range includes tennis shirts, shorts and teeshirts for men and tennis skirts and shorts for women.

“It has been my passion since childhood to wear my own brand. When I was growing up, my dad always made sure that I wore the best tennis shoes, clothes and had world class equipment,” he recounts.

Mr Paes plans to wear Dellta Leeg apparel for the forthcoming Davis Cup matches. “About 10 years ago, Indian athletes did not have the best tennis apparel. In fact, it has taken me years to learn about design and the requirements of an athlete. It has been education all along the way,” he recalls.

Mr Paes teamed up with S Ganesh and started Leeg, a sports brand last year. Currently, Leeg provides apparel and accessories for cricket and golf. The brand plans to launch swimwear and apparel for soccer soon.

“All polo shirts for men and tops for women come with moisture wicking technology. Tennis matches last anywhere between two and five hours. The shirt gets heavy in the process and that saps your energy. But with the moisture wicking technology, we have raised the bar of the fabric and that in turn will enhance the performance of the athlete,” asserts Mr Paes.

Mr Paes says that he is fond of designing stuff —whether it’s clothes or his diamond earing. “I always carry a pair of scissors with me when I am travelling and I am constantly snipping my clothes to find out if a V neck or a sleeveless shirt looks better.”

Moving back to tennis, commenting on Sania’s game with whom he paired to win the bronze medal in the mixed doubles in the Busan Asian Games 2002, Mr Paes says she can bring in more variety.

“She should serve and then come to the net. She has broken into the top 100 but the real action lies within the top 40. Her next aim should be to improve her rankings,” he suggests.

Mr Paes also praised Sania for the way she played and defeated fourth seed and defending US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia at the pre-quarter finals of the Dubai Open despite an ankle injury. “Every athlete has to learn to handle injuries. It is part and parcel of the game. We live in a fish bowl environment and moreover, tennis is a single person game. You have to learn to be tough and just go out and play,” says Mr Paes.

He should be knowing: he recovered from a brain lesion in 2003 and has just recovered from an ankle injury. “After the Davis Cup, I will be travelling for two months. I will be participating in the Palm Springs and the Spanish Open in Barcelona,” he says.

Apart from tennis and clothes, Mr Paes is also fond of reading books. He has just finished reading Lance Armstrong’s Every Minute Counts. “The book portrayed how human strength could overcome any challenge and this is something that I can relate to after what I went through,” he says rather philosophically.

Mr Paes has been fond of sports since childhood having played tennis, soccer, hockey, cricket and swimming. “In fact, I plan to swim with dolphins and whales in Hawaii where I will be participating in a tournament,” he says in childlike glee.

Mr Paes is also fond of horse riding and scuba diving. “I own a few horses,” he adds.

He is also a music buff.

“I am actually learning to play the guitar all over again. I love attending concerts,” he says.

India’s new tennis queen Sania Mirza is a girl with a past of hard work and determination. She had encountered difficulties in find up money for expensive competitions. It was her parents Imran and Nazeema who stood by her in those trials. The girl beat all obstacles and marched to victory.

Sania is now very clear about her plans. The aim is set and all she wants to do is achieve that. No marriage, no boy friend until then. She recalls how several Indian stars lost their chances on the world scene because of early marriage.

Sania was only five when her mother watched Steffi Graf’s performance at Wimbledon finals. Nazeema wished her daughter would be a Steffi Graf one day- Sania’s parents and younger sister are with her in her efforts. In the new home in Hyderabad they are celebrating the Sania victories. She says her parents are interested in her playing tennis happily. Her winning is not the main item on their agenda.

It was her mother who made Sania step into the world of tennis at the age of six. Father was not very keen in the first few months. He thought it was too early for the little girl. Then he too joined the promotional drive.

Sania’s rise to fame was quick. Her early successes were unparalleled. Sponsors and government came to her aid. Imran drove her everywhere. Sania’s ambitions are many. That’s one reason she has suspended her college education for the time being. She pursues studies along with her tennis life.

Every six months, Sania evaluates her performance. Efforts are made to correct her weaknesses. It is again her parents who inspire her. They are more like friends, says Sania. The atmosphere is absolutely favorable to her growth. Whenever she returns home with a new feather is her cap, her sister is waiting for her with ‘Welcome’ banners and balloons all around the house.

Sania was born on November.15, 1986 in Mumbai. Her hobbies are swimming and listening to music. Her favourite food is Biriani.

Steffi Graf is her role model. Sania aims at a position among the top20 in world ranking. The entire nation celebrated when Sania became the first Indian to enter the third round of Australian Open. It was a great opportunity that she got in playing against the legendary Serena Williams. Two years ago, Sania was winner of the Wimbledon Junior doubles title. The triumphant journey is on, with the strong team of her parents behind her. Sania dedicates her victories to them, to God and to her trainers.

Sachin Tendulkar turned Pakistan paceman Abdul Razzaq for a single to reach 27 soon after tea, he had become only the fifth cricketer and the second Indian to reach 10,000 Test runs. Sachin was playing his 122nd Test and the second TVS Cup Test at the Eden Gardens.

Malayalam Superstar Mohanlal, who has been vouchesafing purity of Malabar Gold, will henceforth get a helping hand from Tennis sensation, Sania Mirza. The company officials said Sania has been appointed lady brand ambassador of the Malabar gold.

A leading branded-gold jeweller, Malabar Gold, will begin its foray into the national scene with the opening of its Bangalore showroom on April 12, said its Managing Director M P Ahmed. It will also make its presence in seven more places in Kerala, he said.

After receiving a wild-card to play in her maiden Tier I WTA event, Sania Mirza on Tuesday said she would take part in the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, Florida, as an “injury-free player".

The 19-year-old, who was recuperating from an ankle injury that began to trouble her at the Australian Open, received a wild card to play in the $3 million tournament starting on March 23.

“My injury is okay and the ankle is much better. I will be going to this tournament as an injury-free player,” Sania said.

Sania, who created history becoming the first Indian to win a WTA Open at Hyderabad after showing her prowess by reaching the third round of Australian Open, would leave for the USA on March 19 and was confident of putting up a good show.

The Hyderabad girl said she did not make any special preparation for this tournament and she would be going without much expectation as it was a Tier I event with the world’s best in action.

“I will play my game and try to progress as far as I could,” she said even as her family members were busy looking after her mother Nseema who underwent a surgery on Tuesday.

Sania’s father Imran Mirza said 75 per cent of the ankle injury had healed and the rest would subside on its own.

“She does not have much worry about the ankle. The stakes are high and we will have to see how far she can go in the Nasdaq Open,” he said.

Imran was expecting Sania to do well since she had earlier won a couple of tournaments in Miami, where the weather “suits her as it dry and hot like in Hyderabad".

The cream of women’s tennis including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznestsova and Ananstasia Myskina all were likely to take part in the tournament.

Besides Sania, Jessica Kirkland (USA), Sesil Karatantcheva (Bulgaria), Angela Haynes (USA), Viktoriay Kutuzova (Ukraine), Anna Tatishvili (Georgia) and Jamea Jackson (USA) were the other wild card entrants.

After receiving a wild-card to play in her maiden Tier I WTA event, Sania Mirza today said she would take part in the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, Florida, as an “injury-free player”.

The 19-year-old, who was recuperating from an ankle injury that began to trouble her at the Australian Open, received a wild card to play in the $3 million tournament starting on March 23. “My injury is okay and the ankle is much better. I will be going to this tournament as an injury-free player,” Sania said here.

Sania, who created history becoming the first Indian to win a WTA Open at Hyderabad after showing her prowess by reaching the third round of Australian Open, would leave for USA on March 19 and was confident of putting up a good show in Florida.

The Hyderabad girl said she did not make any special preparation for this tournament and she would be going without much expectation as it was a Tier I event with the world’s best in action. “I will play my game and try to progress as far as I could,” she said.

The cream of women’s tennis including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznestsova and Ananstasia Myskina were likely to take part in the tournament.

In the season-opener in Melbourne, Narain Karthikeyan got off to a poor start.

His stop-start dash from 12th place on the grid saw more than a couple of drivers, including his teammate Tiago Monteiro go past him into the first corner.

On to the second lap, Michael Schumacher bestowed spectator status on the Indian, the Ferrari cruising past the Jordan like it was standing still.

Early in his racing career, Karthikeyan’s frustration might have gotten the better of him — the “red mist,” he calls it. But his long hard journey to the top has taught him a few things.

Vicky Chandhok, president of FMSCI and father to India’s second fastest man Karun, agrees completely. “He hasn’t changed one bit as far as his driving style is concerned. At the same time, he has become calm and mature,” said Chandhok.

“Most importantly, he now realises his own natural ability to be quick. You give Narain any motor vehicle and he can make it go as fast as it physically can.

While it may have cost him a few races, in this sport you need that wild streak,” says Chandhok, who has seen the 28-year-old grow into the speed machine he is today. Chandhok also gives us a hint about Karthikeyan’s state of mind. “His left leg starts twitching like crazy when he is nervous.”

In Melbourne, the leg calmed down after an edgy start. Karthikeyan kept his cool and slipped past his teammate before finishing the race in 15th place, well ahead of Monteiro on the clock. He was also fastest of the four rookies by some margin.

Sanjay Sharma, who heads JK Tyres’ Motorsport division, and has a long-standing association with Karthikeyan, believes Karthikeyan understands his role in F1.

“He doesn’t have a car that’s going to finish on the podium on its capability. All he has to concentrate on is to drive quick, while making sure he finishes the race. That is his job, every race this season.

And I think he realises that. I don’t think it will slow him down, but he is mature enough to realise his specific job role.”

As Karthikeyan himself said: “I’m a little worried about the hot, humid conditions here in Malaysia. Physically it will be a very demanding race. But I will push hard and hopefully, like Australia, I’ll finish the race.”

Following a positive start in Melbourne, where both cars crossed the finishing line, Jordan Grand Prix is looking forward to the challenge of the Malaysian Grand Prix. After one day off, driver Narain Karthikeyan travelled straight to Malaysia to acclimatise and prepare for the extremely hot and humid conditions of Kuala Lumpur’s Sepang International Circuit. As for Tiago Monteiro, he stayed in Australia but nevertheless he followed a strict programme, prepared for him by Gerard Gray, Jordan Grand Prix team’s physiotherapist.

“In Malaysia for training, the drivers were working approximately four hours a day. They have realised after the Australian race, that they need to prepare even more intensively for Malaysia where the track temperature, the cockpit temperature and the humidity make it the most difficult and physical race of the year.” Gray explains. “Every day, the drivers were in the gym working their neck, shoulder, stomach and back muscles. Additionally, they did a lot of cardio work and circuit training.”

“In addition, Narain and Tiago did a lot of stretching and received daily massage therapy. It is essential for a driver to have lean, supple muscles that maintain strength but also keep a low weight, so it makes it easier for the engineers to design a car around them.” Gray adds.

“It was an intensive programme. They were guaranteed to be working extremely hard in high temperatures to prepare them for the Malaysian race. Nutritionally, they also had to be trained for a much hotter race. They are drinking different energy drinks to replace the salt that they loose through sweat. So the nutritional strategy for the Malaysian Grand Prix will be different to that used in Australia. The better prepared, the better they are going to be.” Gray concludes.

Narain Karthikeyan
“After the first race in Australia, I went directly to Malaysia to prepare physically for the tough weather conditions. I have trained a lot outdoors, about four hours a day, especially doing some cardio work. I have also been around the track and the first things I have noticed are that it is not very clean and it is very wide. However, I think it will suit my style of driving. I am a little bit worried about the very hot conditions here in Malaysia, as it is very humid. Physically, it will be very challenging but I will push hard for it, as I did in Australia and hopefully finish the race again.”

Tiago Monteiro
“I stayed in Australia between the two races to relax and recover from my cold. Nevertheless, I have also gone through a fitness programme that my trainer had prepared for me. Malaysia will be another unknown track for me. My goal here is to learn the circuit as fast as I can and obviously try to finish the race. The track is quite different from Melbourne, there are many high-speed corners and the hot temperature and the humidity will probably make it the toughest race of the year. However, I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

Paul Monaghan, Chief Race Engineer
“Sepang International Circuit is a very demanding one: the hot track temperature creates unique conditions for the drivers, tyres and engine. A good car balance is required for the track’s flowing nature, which then eases the braking requirements. At present, we are facing challenges with two new drivers, tyres and engine regulations, but we are building on the lessons learnt at the Australian Grand Prix and seeking to get the most from everything here this weekend.”

When Narain Karthikeyan takes the grid at the Sepang track on Sunday, he may have the eerie feeling of driving at the Sriperumbudur race track, for the Malaysian Grand Prix organisers are expecting an influx of nearly 2,000 Indians for the second race of the season in Kuala Lumpur on March 20. “Last year there were around 800 Indians but this year that number is likely to double. The number may pick up around the race weekend and even touch 2000,” Azhar Ghazali, head of media operations at the Sepang International Circuit told TOI on Tuesday. “There have been a lot of promotions in India and our agents there have promised a good response,” he added.

Trust Holidays and Kuoni Travels are the only two registered international agents for the Sepang International Circuit and the two companies have managed to drum up quite a response between them.

Trust Holidays have sold 250 tickets, including more than 150 special Formula One packages which include race tickets, accommodation, airfare and taxes for just Rs 31,500. Kuoni, who till last year were actively involved in the promotion of the Malaysian GP have now devised niche, need-driven packages for about 15-20 corporates.

A majority of motor-racing enthusiasts have booked their tickets online on websites such as malaysiangp.com, pitpass.com, formula1.com, grandprix-tickets.com with the only condition being a confirmed return ticket in hand. And it’s not just the rich and famous who are making the trip. Malaysia’s attractiveness as a tourist destination has made it viable for even the not so rich which may make Sepang the Indian F1 fans’ favourite Asian destination.

“Bahrain or even Shanghai is bound to be more expensive. Malaysia as a destination is very pocket-friendly. It’s being promoted brilliantly. It is accessible and affordable, both in terms of airfare as well as hotels,” Rashmi Chotmarada, owner of a travel agency said.

Though there is a sizeable number of Indians that do land up in Kuala Lumpur every year, this year the pulling factor is obviously Karthikeyan. “Narain’s presence in Formula One is definitely a pulling factor. Indians are the third largest ethnic group in Malaysia and they are quite excited. Our promotion outlets are making special F1 promotions about Narain,” Ghazali said. He added, “We’re hoping to attract more F1 enthusiasts from India following Karthikeyan not just this year but also in the future.”

Agreeing with that view are industry insiders. “Karthikeyan being there in F1 will give people more of a reason to follow the sport. In fact, we’re likely to see more people from south India travelling to Malaysia,” Rodney Andrade, manager of Trust Holidays said.

India’s first Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan has agreed to be part of a programme to promote the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix which would be held at Bahrain International Circuit in April.

Bahrain media reports said Karthikeyan’s one-day visit on March 21 was expected to be action-packed as the BIC would invite over 2,000 children from Indian schools to meet ‘the fastest Indian in the world’.

Karthikeyan, who made his debut for Jordan in Melbourne earlier this month and finished 15th, said he was excited to visit Bahrain a fortnight ahead of the race in the Kingdom.

“I am thrilled to be coming to Bahrain and meeting a large number of people from India who have made Bahrain their home,” said Karthikeyan.

“We aim to bring Narain closer to the Indian community,” the Bahrain International Circuit general manager Martin Whitaker was quoted as saying in Gulf Daily News.

Karthikeyan had the best result among the four debutant drivers at the Australian GP and is expecting to improve further at the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 20 and the following race in Bahrain on April 3.