The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : He is keen to make an impact

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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

He is keen to make an impact

G. Prasad

Jeevan Nedunchezian banks on training in the U. S.

— Photo : M. Moorthy

Working hard: Jeevan Nedunchezian in action during the All-India Ranking Tennis Tournament at City Club, Tiruchi, on Wednesday.

TIRUCHI: Having been a consistent performer at the junior-level, rising tennis star Jeevan Nedunchezian wishes to extend his success-streak in the senior circuit as well.

Jeevan has just made an entry into the senior-level and is raring to make an early mark.

He made it to the quarterfinals of the ITF Futures men’s tennis tournament at Kolkata recently and considers it as a confidence booster.

“The transition can be tough at times as the level of competition is very high. Now I am slowly getting used to it,” he says. Grandson of former minister Nedunchezian, he played at all the four Grand Slams at junior-level.

His best moment was when he played his way into the second round of the last year’s French Open.

He relishes the experience for another reason as well.

“I got a chance to meet my favourite player, Lleyton Hewitt at the locker room. I had a brief chat with him and it was great,” says Jeevan, who played a key role in India’s success at the Asia-Oceania ITF junior Davis Cup tennis tournament in 2004.

The 18-year-old will be leaving for U.S. in September where he will continue his studies at the University of Washington and also practice the game under head coach at the University, Matt Anger.

Jeevan, keen to make an impact at international level, believes that training in the U.S. would do him a world of good.

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