India's tennis doubles specialist Divij Sharan is back playing competitive tennis after a four-month forced break due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Delhi lad is now based in Manchester, England, after his marriage with Samantha Murray, a professional tennis player. In normal circumstances, Sharan would have been all set to play at the Wimbledon. He did spend the last four days in London, but to play a domestic tennis competition instead—his first since the lockdown in March.
"It was nice to play competitive tennis again,” Sharan told THE WEEK over phone from his home in Manchester. “I teamed up with another Indian player—Vijay Sundar Prashanth—and we played three matches at the National Tennis Centre in London. The first match we were rusty, but by the second and third match, we got better. It felt strange—at this time of the year, I would have been playing at the Wimbledon. It’s my favourite tournament but here I was playing domestic events. I miss playing at Wimbledon."
This is the first time since 1945 that the Wimbledon has been cancelled. The club announced on July 11, a payout of $12.5 million in prize money to 620 players despite the tournament's cancellation. Of these 620 players, 120 players would have competed in doubles and thus will receive $7,800 each. "This is a great gesture from the club to help players who have not been able to earn anything in the last couple of months," Sharan said.
India's second highest ranked doubles player, Sharan said the domestic tournament took place under strict protocols and was a sign of things to come when more competitions resume. "They did temperature checks on entering the NTC. Wearing a mask was mandatory at all times, except when on court. Everyone maintained the social distancing norm of 2m. They even did a COVID-19 test on every participant and official. There were no ball boys or girls. You are not allowed to shower but there is a place to change your clothes. They were particular about cleaning each and everything after each practice session or match. For doubles matches, we were not allowed any first bumps or handshakes."
Sharan had shown signs of rustiness initially, though he was lucky to have Samantha as his training partner for the past two weeks, at the local community tennis court. "Once the lockdown [in the UK] eased, I was able to play with her (Samantha) and practised hitting with other players. There was no access to coaches or physios. Most of the people who help me with coaching or the physio are in India and the United States. The next few weeks, I will see if I can shift to an academy, if it opens."
Sharan and Samantha tied the knot in November last year, but, as professionals, they have barely spent time together—both travelling to different tournaments. The lockdown, interestingly, proved to be a boon, too, for the couple. "When the lockdown started, I thought, ‘Great! I have been playing non-stop tennis since the beginning of the year. This will be a good break of 3-4 weeks’. But then, it got extended. I thought I would train post lockdown for clay court season, but then, both the clay court and grass court seasons went for a toss. But it was good in a way. I got to spend time with my wife, like a normal couple."
Sharan said, in all likelihood, he would look to play tournaments in Europe mostly. "There’s a long way to go. I will have to consider the travelling conditions. Also, whether the pandemic becomes worse or improves. Whether it is okay to play a tournament or not. As far as I am concerned, the entry period for US Open ends mid-August. There is still a month to get a better idea of what the COVID-19 situation will be like."
Sharan is thankful he is in a much better situation, compared to most of the others around the world. He can venture out, go for a run, and even play some light tennis. He may not have access to coaches and physios to be in peak form physically and skill-wise, but he prefers to look at it positively. "People are in worse conditions in many ways. It is in our best interest to take all precautions. It is a better situation to be in, than not play at all."
