The call of the Russians

After the legends made their splash at the Olympics, it’s the turn of tennis’ stars, at the US Open. In particular, the “red” stars. An army of Russian players have invaded the Grand Slams. Alla Kudryavtseva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Anna Chakvetadze, Nikolai Davydenko. Tongue-twisters to the uninitiated; but rolling off the tongue as smoothly as “Amanmuradova” for one with a “Rooski” background. Tennis and Russian — the two go together. In 1968, when my father was posted at the Indian embassy in Moscow, my far-sighted parents enrolled their three children in a Russian-medium school. My father speaks Russian like a native. But it was my mother who played tennis at the time. At the inter-embassy tournament, she teamed up with the Indian ambassador’s daughter, and in the finals they went down fighting to an Aussie pair. Fortunately, there is no volley of verbals in diplomatic circles — the only sledging that came from the short-skirted Australians was: “We thought it would be a walk-over when we saw her in a sari!” The Russian-tennis affinity persists till this day in the family.

My sister is a Russian language translator. A mother of three, she is the only lady that plays tennis at the Army Club in Pune. Holding her own, and holding the annual trophy as well. My brother’s tennis and Russian skills were up to scratch when he had to coach his daughter to beat a Russian opponent in the junior tennis circuit. The Russian father discussed tactics loudly, in his native Russian; little did he know that the Indian parent next to him could understand every word.

Alas, when it comes to me, I threaten to double fault. At a half-century plus, I just about manage to hold a tennis racket, moving like an arthritic tortoise on the court. But I am quick when it comes to rooting for the Russians at the Slams. “Russianisation” is on. The women players add a ballerina-like grace to the sport. The Spanish “vamos” will give way to the Russian “davai”. Maria Sharapova, Igor Andreev, Mikhail Youzhny, Vera Zvonareva, Dinara Safina. There’s no one to challenge this call.

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