Graduation day

As a fringe junior in Davis Cup squads,life was all about nodding in silent agreement at team meetings,receiving plentiful advice and sharing court with someone he had idolised while growing up. His on-court movements too had strictly followed the cue.

But when he wears the India jersey for his next assignment,where the Davis Cup team is without seniors Leander Paes,Mahesh Bhupathi,Rohan Bopanna and his mentor Somdev Devvarman,it’s going to be more about backslapping his teammates,sharing i-Pods and laughing over inside jokes with his circuit pals.

Flying down to Chandigarh to play the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand next week,Vardhan will now have to don a new role. It may not be that of an outright leader,but will definitely involve holding the team together.

Friendly Banter

As competitors on the circuit,Vardhan makes no qualms acknowledging that Yuki Bhambri,five years his junior and almost 100 ranking places above him,is the better singles player.

But the 25-year-old has been consistently a part of the peripheral players’ setup around biggies Bhupathi,Paes and Bopanna,who as recently as the Brazil tie in 2010,defied rankings to eke out wins for the country. Vardhan also shared the podium with Sania Mirza,with seniors absent,at the Guangzhou Asiad and made for a worthy replacement of Devvarman against Asia’s best singles player,Kei Nishikori,last year.

So when it comes to combining with a young team,there’s little doubt that Vardhan — handpicked amidst much debate for the Olympics — will be the link between 20-year-old Bhambri and 24-year-olds Sanam Singh and Saketh Myneni,who owing to their American Collegiate education haven’t been in the mix here.

He shares a good rapport with the reserves as well — Divij Sharan,his doubles partner for the past five years — and newbie N Sriram Balaji,22,who he’s been mentoring on the tour.

Graduating from being the hitting partner whose bent back was the target of aces from Paes and Bhupathi’s racquets during practice,to being the key player as top choice for both singles and doubles duty now,it’s a big leap for Vardhan,seeking to step out of the shadows of his seniors.

But this freedom comes with a huge challenge. An Asia-Oceania Group II relegation-tie may not be significant in the Davis Cup scheme of things,nor will it cement their places. However,Vardhan & Co are expected to guard India’s prized legacy in Davis Cup,where the team has historically punched above its weight.

On the circuit though,this bunch is short on inspiration,what with Bhambri being the highest ranked Indian at 188. Moreover,turn over the pages of Davis Cup record books and starting from Ramanathan Krishnan,who took India to its first final in 1966 to the once golden doubles pair of Lee-Hesh — who still hold the record for the longest winning streak — this group has plenty to cover.

They may not have the stats their predecessors boast of in Davis Cup,but they have something this India team has desperately needed — a fresh start. For once the cheering team during the September 14-16 games will not take the shape of two rival camps,the way it has been in Davis Cup ties involving both Paes and Bhupathi. “When we’re playing,we hang out as a group,have dinners and share rooms,” Bhambri confirms.

As a junior,Balaji was ahead of Bhambri at times in rankings on the national circuit and the two roomed together in Australia during the World Juniors. But fresh off the Schüttler-Waske Tennis University in Germany and fairly new to the professional circuit,Balaji admits that he exchanges hard drives full of movies as frequently as notes on opponents.

“If I’m playing someone who Vardhan and Divij have played before,they sit me down,watch my matches,” says the man from Coimbatore,who has impressed with six wins in a row in the Uzbekistan Challenger,a week before Davis Cup selection.

‘Fresh Slate’

“This is a fresh slate. No one has to pretend. Coming together for the country is going to be very natural for us as everyone in this team knows each other so well. We practically live with each other on the tour,” Bhambri says of the easy camaraderie. “And it’s good that all those have been selected know that they deserve to be.”

The group admits to healthy rivalries,though,the most prominent being between Bhambri and Vardhan. There,however,is no animosity and definitely no history of bad blood. In fact,one credits the other for improved performances.

Each time Vardhan lost to the junior Australian Open winner in a circuit final,he worked a notch harder. “I lost many finals in 2009 to him and could measure up my game. His results have inspired us to think that if Bhambri can do this then so can we,” Vardhan says.

Off-court,their note sharing is of a different type. Both ONGC employees,Vardhan often helps Bhambri on house allowance and TA bill paperwork. At his Hyderabad home too,there is support for the Delhi player. Vardhan’s younger brother is a Bhambri fan and he introduced the two during the Chennai Open. “Thankfully,he didn’t embarrass me by asking for an autograph,” Vardhan laughs.

If his brother’s vote goes to Bhambri,Vardhan’s parents are relieved of anxiety when Sharan accompanies their son on the tour. Their doubles partnership started in late 2007 when Vardhan beat his Delhi opponent in the grass-court nationals final. Once they started playing together on the circuit,Futures titles poured in. They claim to have never spent so much time with anyone else in life,playing 19 weeks a year together.

Always,forever

“Even when we are at different tournaments,we Skype. Being with him has taught me how to think tennis and plan ahead,” Vardhan says of Sharan,who he shares 13 doubles titles with.

Vardhan too has ensured he passes on the experience. He shared a room with Balaji during the CWG camp and the youngster learned everything from “maximising good runs to picking events that best suit defending points.”

Balaji,isn’t the only one who needs to be shepherded in this side — Myneni too. The 6’4’’ 24-year old has only played sparingly on the circuit,turning pro just last year after graduating from the University of Alabama. He lost to Bhambri in his first competitive tournament,but impressed everyone with his groundstrokes and physique on his way to picking up four Futures titles.

“I’m excited,but I have this complete rookie feeling. Sanam,Vishnu and Yuki have been in team events before but I’ve never represented the country,” Myneni,who went to the same academy as Vardhan in Hyderabad,says.

Meanwhile,New Zealand’s highest ranked singles player lurches in the 300s. However,that stat is deceptive,as the man in question,Rubin Statham,has won 18 rubbers for NZ — about four times the number of combined matches the present India squad have played in Davis Cup.

Though Myneni is the only one who’s never been in a tie before,Bhambri says this one is going to be equally challenging for all. “It’s our first home tie. Vishnu played in Japan,I played in Uzbekistan along with Sanam,and in South Africa. So we have never experienced what it is like to be cheered by our own people,” he says.

Sanam,in fact,will be playing in his home city. A doubles gold medalist at the Asian Games,he had a quiet start to his pro career after finishing college in Virginia but made a few heads turn this year by winning three back-to-back Futures title.

Surreal time

“I can’t believe I’ll play for India on the same courts where I’ve seen Davis Cup ties as a kid,” he says. The genial boy will also play the perfect host to his team buddies. “I discussed with my mom on when we could host the entire team at my place for some home food.”

He won five matches in a row at the $50,000 Shanghai Challenger this week,stopping only against the top seed. Balaji claimed both the singles and doubles titles in the $15,000 Iran Futures,and Vardhan and Sharan combined to take the Bangkok Challenger.

With good results behind them and all the ingredients for a new beginning,the only box left to tick is of execution,because a happy team alone does not make a successful one. What this bunch can learn from their seniors is that despite a split that remained unresolved forever,India has repeatedly defended its fort at the Davis Cup.

If a baton has to be passed on to this side from the one before,it is that one. Not one of pointing fingers,feuding fathers,name calling and annoying tantrums.

Yuki Bhambri,20

Rank: 188

World No.1 junior,Australian Open junior champion

Titles: (1) Challenger circuit (doubles),(1) Challenger circuit (singles),(7) Futures circuit (singles),(1) Futures circuit (doubles)

Davis Cup: Lost to Farrukh Dustov,beat Denis Istomin in Uzbekistan 2012,beat Izak van der Merwe in South Africa,2009

He,one of three siblings to turn pro,is a Nick Bollettieri ward.

Vishnu Vardhan,25

Rank: 263

Asian Games mixed doubles silver medalist with Sania Mirza

Titles: (2) Challenger circuit (doubles),(15) Futures circuit (doubles),(7) Futures circuit (singles)

Davis Cup: Lost to Kei Nishikori in Japan,2011

Was Leander Paes’ choice for Olympic doubles. Earned praise from Paes and also from Mirza after the Guangzhou Games.

Sanam Singh,24

Rank: 402

Guangzhou Asian Games 2010 doubles gold medallist with Somdev Devvarman

Titles: (4) Futures circuit (singles),(2) Futures circuit (doubles)

Davis Cup: Lost to Denis Istomin in Uzbekistan 2012

An alumni of the University of Virginia. He is based in Austin,Texas,and is Devvarman’s closest friend,doubles partner,who also trains with him off-season.

Saketh Myneni,24

Rank: 380

His NCAA circuit rank (22) was best for any University of Alabama player since 2001

Titles: (4) Futures circuit (singles),(5) Futures circuit (doubles)

Davis Cup: Debut

Held a racquet for the first time at age 11,played only one year of junior tennis at 14.

N Sriram Balaji,22

Rank: 375

No.1 junior in India in U-14. Trains at Schuettler Waske tennis academy in Germany

Titles: (4) Futures circuit (singles)

Davis Cup: Debut

Was part of the group of hitting partners that trained with Bhupathi,Bopanna and Mirza in the off season last year.

Divij Sharan,26

Rank: 109 (doubles)

World No.4 junior (doubles),French Open juniors semifinalist

Titles: (3) Challenger circuit (doubles),(19) Futures circuit (doubles)

Davis Cup: Reserve member on three occasions

Partnering Vishnu Vardhan since 2008. They won 12 titles together.