"Tennis is my first love": Interview with Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, India's rising tennis star

Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan

Chennai lad Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan has made both Tamil Nadu and India proud with his dedication and commitment. This Davis Cup player has had an amazing year so far; he got a wild card entry into the Aircel Chennai Open, and he has won an ITF Futures doubles tournament too. His hardcore training with Coach Matt Anger has shaped him well to face the competitive world of tennis.

Jeevan smiles and takes both victory and defeat in his stride, which gives him the much required balance to take his game forward. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jeevan talked about his long term goals and his passion for tennis. Here are the excerpts:

Q: Can you describe in a single phrase what tennis means to you?

Jeevan: Tennis is my first love.

Q: When did you realize that tennis was where you belonged?

Jeevan: Not until I was midway through my college career at UW (University of Washington, Seattle ).

Q: Who was the major catalyst in you deciding to take up professional tennis?

Jeevan: My late grandfather MDK Kuthalingam and my college coach Matt Anger.

Q: What is the biggest challenge for a person to turn pro today?

Jeevan: Financial support and finding sponsors.

Q: How supportive were your parents when you took up tennis professionally?

Jeevan: I got 100% unconditional support from my parents. It is almost a prerequisite to taking up the sport professionally.

Q: 2014 has been a good year for you so far. You have performed well at the ITF Futures tournaments. Tell us about your plan for the remaining part of the year; what can we expect from you in the rest of 2014?

Jeevan: 2014 saw me earn a wildcard into the Chennai Open singles draw and be a part of the Indian Davis Cup squad. I would of course like to have bigger performances at tournaments but for now staying healthy and preparing for ATP Challengers this summer is my immediate priority.

Q: Was there any single performance at a tournament that made you realize you belonged to the world of tennis?

In the juniors I was able to compete in all the four Grand Slams. The Roland Garros tournament made me realize tennis is a fun world to be a part of.

Q: What is your long term goal as a tennis player?

Jeevan: Playing a Grand Slam event.

Q: How bright does the future of Indian tennis look to you?

Jeevan: I see a lot of potential. But in order to mould this potential, there needs to be a lot of structure.

Q: Talk to us about your training during your graduate/post graduate studies.

Jeevan: My four years at UW were the best four years for my tennis career. I realized that tennis was my life’s path and my coach Matt Anger, being a former top 25 professional in singles, helped me realize that tennis can be a very rewarding sport during your competitive years, and even well beyond that.

Rapid-fire questions

1. Favourite tennis player:

Jeevan: Rafael Nadal

2. Most lethal weapon:

Jeevan: Forehand

3. Dream match to watch:

Jeevan: Rod Laver vs Roger Federer on grass; Bjorn Borg vs Rafael Nadal on clay

4. Dream match to be a part of:

Jeevan: Me and my coach Matt Anger in our prime vs the Bryan brothers! Sold-out crowd at Flushing Meadows!

Q: 10 years from now, India’s best tennis player:

Jeevan: Time will tell.

Q: A few years down the line, where do you see yourself?

Jeevan: I see myself contributing to the sport which gave me so much.