Return to Story Page
To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu

Gaurav Natekar calls it quits

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, MARCH 10: Gaurav Natekar, a member of the Indian Davis Cup team that played the semi-final after defeating France in Frejus in 1993, has announced his retirement. The 26-year-old, a seven-time National champion, said he had nothing more to achieve in the National circuit. ``I am a person who would rather look back and find talent behind me than reach forward. I cannot keep winning the National title, I would rather call it a day,'' the son of former National badminton champion Nandu Natekar said today at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).

Gaurav, now a coach with MSLTA, said he was happy with his coaching assignment. He handles the MSLTA unit of the all-India scheme for grooming promising youngsters, floated by the Dharam Hinduja-All India Tennis Association (DHAITA). He said the emphasis in India was on getting into the team. ``For ages, the Indian Davis Cup team has always had two players dominating everything. That is too much to expect from the two.'' He felt this aspectacted as a deterrent to the other members of the team.

He was appreciative of AITA programmes but felt there was no need for them to send four players to international tournaments. ``Instead if they send three exciting players and a coach with them, it will be a tremendous learning process for the juniors. ``In this regard, I think, the MSLTA has done better. They seem to have more ideas,'' he said. Gaurav, a player more in the classical mould, never disliked his style of play. ``Tennis is definitely a power game, I had good endurance fitness, but at times, I felt I could do with a bit more power and wished I was a step faster.''

Significant Achievements