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Heavy downpour in the great Indian Thar desert and
glorious moments in Indian tennis can be Compared to the answer for the former - that requires a patient search in the general knowledge books - the answer to the latter is available easily because there is only one man who had succeeded in presenting Indian tennis a few glorious moments - The Touch Artist - Ramanathan Krishnan. He might not have won the prestigious Grand Slam tournaments. He might not have helped India to claim the coveted Davis Cup. But he convincingly defeated the greatest players like Rod Laver, Emerson, and Neil Fraser. He played many thrilling matches and charmed the ardent lovers of the game with his artistic execution of groundstrokes. He entered the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championship twice. An incredible accomplishment by Indian standards that remains unchallenged. Even today. Ramanathan Krishnan’s relationship with tennis is as old as our independence. As a 10-year-old boy, he practiced at the Kalkatora stadium in Delhi, after all the senior players had left. So pronounced was his passion for the game that even the scorching Delhi heat proved unsuccessful in dissuading him from hitting the balls. It only took a few months for his father T.K.Ramanathan to discover his son’s immense potential. He was absolutely convinced that his son had all the talent to become the best player in the country. He resigned his job and immersed himself in coaching young Ramananthan. "A private tennis court occupied the top slot in my father’s priority list," says Ramanathan Krishnan of his father’s commitment. "The court was built in 1952 and by 1953 I became the best player in the country. I could achieve this only because of rigorous practice and my father’s methodical coaching." After successfully stamping his authority on the national tennis circuit he went ahead to challenge the international competition. He won the Asian Championship, the Junior Wimbledon Championship and earned a world ranking at the highest level. There comes a time in a player's life when the years of hard work is translated into performance of the highest order that amazes the entire sports fraternity. Ramanathan Krishnan, on his part chose Wimbledon to revel in glory. As an unseeded player in 1959, in the third round he gave the ultimate champion Alex Olmedo, a real run for his money. So over whelmed was the match referee by the qualitative richness and majesty of Ramanathan's game that he seeded him seventh for the year 1960. He reached the semifinals that year. But Neil Fraser, the eventual champion, stopped him from progressing further. As the fourth seed in 1961 he reached the semifinal. The eventual champion, Rod Laver, stopped him again. "I have no regrets of losing because both the times I lost to the ultimate champion. In 1960, I lost to Neil Fraser, one of the greatest left handers and in 1961 I lost to Rod Laver, an all time great," says Ramanathan Krishnan. The next year a nagging ankle injury sealed his fate. He was forced to concede a walkover in the third round. "But for my injury I could have qualified for the finals because the major players in my half lost early in the rounds," he admits with a strong sense of disappointment. Such unfortunate incidents incite a piercing feeling that Indian sports men, minus cricketers, are the condemned children of God. "Players like me and Ramesh are not in the same class as Laver, McEnroe or Samparas who repeatedly play well over a period of time. For us to have an innings of 15 years and to play well in three or four Wimbledons is a pretty good percentage," confesses a modest Ramanathan Krishnan. His fame off-the-court and on-the-court played a major role in influencing his son Ramesh Krishnan in choosing tennis as a career. "He enjoyed the benefits of the contacts I built across the world," he says, but quickly reacts to point that Ramesh worked very hard to reach to the top. Ramesh's exploits on the court are not unknown to us. Life after a demanding tennis career has been pretty smooth for Ramanathan Krishnan who manages a gas distribution company in Chennai. A gift from the Government in recognition of his meritorious service to the country. A deep desire to keep the Indian hopes floating in today's world of tennis, the father and son duo started a tennis academy, Krishnan Tennis Center in 1995, on the lines of the academies run in the U.S. It can only be hoped that aspiring players from around India, especially Chennai, benefit from his vast experience and knowledge of the game. There are innumerable instances where Ramanathan Krishnan has done the country proud with his remarkable success. He truly deserves a place in the Indian Tennis Hall of Fame. Ramanathan Krishnan, a true son of the soil. A proud Chennai Citizen. Rama Krishna Prasad |
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described with a common expression: Both occur rarely.