The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : NBTV's Sports Complex launch on April 14

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 10, 2004

Sport

Sport - Tennis

NBTV's Sports Complex launch on April 14

BANGALORE, April 9. The new Sports Complex at the Nike - Bhupathi Tennis Village in Kodigehalli will be formally inaugurated on April14 and gracing the opening bash will be some of the leading sports personalities of the country, including Prakahs Padukone, Ashwini Nachappa, Mahesh Bhupathi and his Davis Cup teammate from Karnataka, Rohan Bhupathi.

Over the years, Tennis Village, with the fruitful sponsorship from Nike and able guidance by Krishna Bhupathi, has become a premier training centre in the country and some of the top players, had a stint of training there and the list also includes Sania Mriza, the teen tennis sensation.

The Centre's wards excelled in national tournaments and what was primarily good national centre, has been truly turned international class, with the new facilities which includes residential quarters for players, a state of art gymnasium, indoor games facilities and a breath taking roof top synthetic courts.

`` Good performances come from good facilities and what we have tried to achieve is, build a super structure which would help in meeting all basic needs of aspiring stars", said Krishna Bhupathi, in a chat with The Hindu.

The project was a culmination of a vision that Krishna Bhupathi nursed for game. He is a taskmaster on court and he set himself in a high standards and he could claim, after the inauguration, that he has finally `done it.'

`` This is going super market for tennis. From beginners to international level players can use our facilities and I have been getting lot of enquiries from India and abroad, people wanting to send their children here. Earlier, it was bit tough, because we did not have residential facilities, now we have everything and we should start rolling", says said Krishna Bhupathi.

He also disclosed that former Davis Cupper, Prahlad Srinath, will us the facilities for his own training and he would also devote time to help the wards here.

"Like everyone, I am excited as the D-Day approaches," said Bhupathi Sr. His son, Mahesh, after winding up the Davis Cup engagements at Osaka, will fly straight to Bangalore for the inauguration." His presence is an added value. Mahesh always took keen interest in the `Tennis Village' and whenever, he was in town, he spends most of the time, hitting the ball with the kids. We do look forward to his return', said Krishna Bhupathi.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport