The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Prakash looks ahead with confidence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Prakash looks ahead with confidence

By Our Sports Reporter

CHENNAI, DEC. 30. Prakash Amritraj, the highest-ranked Indian in the world at 340, says he is keen and eager to play in the Chennai ATP Open beginning here on January 3. Awarded a wild card into the main draw of the 2005 edition, Prakash feels that he is in the best of health and is injury-free.

"I've never felt stronger and I've worked hard in the off-season," he told The Hindu on Thursday.

The 21-year-old feels he could have done lot better this year, agreeing that he failed to capitalise on the opportunities. "Injuries had a lot to do with that," Prakash said.

After a second-round loss to Frenchman Thierry Ascione in 2004 Tata Open, Prakash succumbed to a leg injury during the Australian Open where he played in the doubles.

He missed two and half months including the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand. Then, he suffered a shoulder injury during the Davis Cup match against Japan.

He reached the Challenger final in Uzbekistan. Prakash lost in the second qualifying round of the Wimbledon and in the first round of the China Open in Beijing.

"As long as I am healthy and keep improving, keep a steady head on my shoulders, I have a good chance of breaking into the top-100 in 2005," said Prakash, who was four and a half hours away from Velankanni (he was travelling along with his father Vijay, mother Shyamala, brother Vikram and cousin Stephen) on that fateful Sunday.

"My grandparents called us and we were back in Chennai."

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