The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Vishnuvardhan, Ambarish slug it out

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 18, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Vishnuvardhan, Ambarish slug it out

Kalyan Ashok

Kannada film actors play an exhibition doubles match to pep up the proceedings

A PERFECT MATCH: Kannada film stars Ambarish (left) and Vishnuvardhan before a five-point exhibition match at the Bangalore Open on Friday. — PHOTO: K. BHAGYA PRAKASH

Bangalore: Celebrity contest was what the doctor ordered to pep up the proceedings at the Bangalore Open at the KSLTA Stadium. In Friday's exhibition tie, Kannada matinee idols Ambarish and Vishnuvardhan made a cameo appearance and played a best of five point contest, watched by a delighted bunch of fans. Bharathi Vishnuvardhan and Sumalatha Ambarish watched the match.

Ambarish, who was confidence personified, regaled the crowd with his own brand of tennis and partnering former Davis Cup player Gaurav Natekar beat Vishnuvardhan who had commentator Gautam Bhimani for a partner. Gaurav was asked whether he would like to join films now that he has played with Ambarish. "I would rather stick to tennis and let them stick to cinema" was his reply. "He doesn't know how good we can be," said Ambarish. But on the serious side of the game, there were some absorbing contests on Friday. It was easy to fathom what kind of standard players strive to achieve with determination.

Professional tennis is never easy. Players live out of their bags and are on tour all the time, to earn points and money. In big matches, no quarter is asked or given.

Any doubts on this count were dispelled by the fierce contest between Croatian Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine and Melinda Czink of Hungary.

The two battled for three hours on centre court, before Czink won the tiebreak. The championship's fifth day threw up surprise qualifiers for the semi-finals, and it was refreshing to find 17-year-old Vania King of U.S. among those who made it to the semi-finals. Watching King was a revelation. The attitude and authority with which she struck the ball, sending it searing past Camille Pin of France was a treat to watch. At a post-match talk, Pin was asked "What was the difference between Sania and Vania?" She said: "Sania is much more powerful player, but Vania was more all-round player." There lies a lesson; power alone cannot change the equations in a match, only an all-round capability can. The quarterfinal ties proved Pin right, and players with better all-court play made it to the last round.

Sania or no Sania, there is some good tennis in store on Saturday.

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