Devvarman also bucked the trend Indian players have followed in the past — of switching to doubles when their singles career was on the wane.
“If I keep criticising the AITA, I’m pretty sure I’m not getting a call from them (for a job),” joked Somdev Devvarman. The 31-year-old was addressing the media in his farewell press conference. When asked what his next step would be, he replied on a lighter note. It was meant in good humour ofcourse, but it showed the issue still nags him. Just a month ago, Devvarman was the only Indian player to take a stand when the All India Tennis Association decided to replace Anand Amritraj — allegedly on account of ‘indiscipline’ — as the non-playing Davis Cup captain. And on Monday, he decided to take another potshot at the AITA.
“I have always thought that they (AITA) were not really interested in helping, or interested in actually creating a system,” he says. “Nor were they interested in changing the culture, or understanding what it takes to become a professional tennis player. I realised that pretty quick.”
He recalls being called up for a Davis Cup tie in 2008, only to be left stranded at the airport upon his arrival. “My coach at the time told me right there and then that if you want to become a player, you can’t blame anyone for the things you don’t accomplish. You have to keep those people aside and focus on what is going to make you a better player.”
It was based on that advice that Devvarman forged a singles career for himself. One in which he reached a career high rank 62 in 2011 — the highest ranked Indian man since Ramesh Krishnan’s 23 in 1985. For years he was also the number one singles player, featuring in 14 Davis Cup ties. In fact, his win in 2009, the fourth rubber against South Africa’s Rik de Voest helped India make it to the World Group. It was the first time India had broken through into the elite group since 1998, and they retained that position for two years.
He also became the first Indian — since Leander Paes won in the singles event of an ATP tour in 1998 — to reach the final of an ATP-level singles event, when he lost in the final of Chennai Open 2009 and the South African Open two years later.
Devvarman also bucked the trend Indian players have followed in the past — of switching to doubles when their singles career was on the wane. “I never considered it. People have chatted to me about it, but my goal was always to play singles. I wanted to be in the top 100 (singles), to be playing in the Slams. So to prolong my career in doubles didn’t make sense to me.”
At 31, he decided it was time to hang his racquet — just under nine months after he played his last competitive match, or rather, a match he withdrew from in the first qualifying round of a Futures event in California.
“The one thing that kept me going was the passion, the fight that I brought. That’s something that diminished, little by little over the years” he says. “When I stopped in March, I called my family and coaches, let them know right away that this is what I was feeling. Everyone said don’t make any rash or emotional decisions and to take my time. By April I kind of felt similar. By May, I was sure.”
His absence on the tour had already thrown hints about his retirement. His pre-season mentoring of Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the reserve player for the upcoming Davis Cup tie in February seemed to suggest Devvarman was slowly, but surely, making the shift to coaching. He, however, remained non-committal. “It’s not a coaching gig. Since we were in Chennai in December, I told him that if you want, I can come and help you, give you a few pointers.”
He adds he’s yet to figure what his post-playing career plans are. “Whether I’m going to be here or in the United States, in what capacity I’m going to be involved player development, change of culture. I feel like I have done a lot of good things and have a lot of nice ideas and work ethic.”
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