RohanBopanna-SaniaMirza India's biggest Olympic medal hope in Rio 2016 tennis.
RohanBopanna-SaniaMirza India's biggest Olympic medal hope in Rio 2016 tennis.
On 5 August, the grandest sporting spectacle in the world will kick-off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Every participating athlete knows that an Olympic medal will be the ultimate jewel in the crown in his/her sporting career. The Olympics are when reputations are enhanced or shattered. The Olympics is also where lifetime friendships are forged in spite of the cutting-edge rivalry and tension on the field. Having been part of the Beijing Olympics, I have seen, first-hand, the amazing camaraderie between athletes of different culture, backgrounds, and races.
Athletics, swimming, and gymnastics are the key events in any Olympics, and by and large, also the most viewed. However, that does not take away the sheen from other individual sports like racquet sports, wrestling, and boxing. Every top athlete worth his/her salt will give it his all for the feel of that medal around his/her neck at the end of the games.
India has had limited success in tennis and apart from the bronze medal that Leander Paes won at the Atlanta Olympics, we have very little to boast about. Yes, we have come very close on two other occasions — once when Ramesh Krishnan and Leander played together (reaching 1992 Barcelona Olympics quarters); and once again when Mahesh Bhupati and Leander played together at 2004 Athens Olympics, where they lost the bronze medal match. But somewhere down the line, the medal eluded us.
File picture of SaniaMirza and RohanBopanna. Getty
I also felt that a golden opportunity was missed in 2012 London Olympics due to petty squabbles. I can understand that all parties at that point in time had their own point of view but when you are playing for the country’s pride, then personal egos and friendships need to be put aside and the best
individual or team should be on the field. However, this is in the past and we now need to look forward to the action in Rio.
Athletics, swimming, and gymnastics are the key events in any Olympics, and by and large, also the most viewed. However, that does not take away the sheen from other individual sports like racquet sports, wrestling, and boxing. Every top athlete worth his/her salt will give it his all for the feel of that medal around his/her neck at the end of the games.
India has had limited success in tennis and apart from the bronze medal that Leander Paes won at the Atlanta Olympics, we have very little to boast about. Yes, we have come very close on two other occasions — once when Ramesh Krishnan and Leander played together (reaching 1992 Barcelona Olympics quarters); and once again when Mahesh Bhupati and Leander played together at 2004 Athens Olympics, where they lost the bronze medal match. But somewhere down the line, the medal eluded us.
I also felt that a golden opportunity was missed in 2012 London Olympics due to petty squabbles. I can understand that all parties at that point in time had their own point of view but when you are playing for the country’s pride, then personal egos and friendships need to be put aside and the best
individual or team should be on the field. However, this is in the past and we now need to look forward to the action in Rio.
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