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Tennis is not the priority at the DLTA

Kamesh Srinivasan

NEW DELHI: There are 11 iron gates, each one wide enough to let a bus in, at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex. Thank the Commonwealth Games for this provision! Ironically, though, there is no more free entry for spectators.

“What is your business here?” demanded the security man, even as your correspondent politely filled the register at the gate with the relevant details. Someone who has been a regular at the tennis complex for more than two decades would never imagine that there could be any business other than tennis at the venue.

On pointing out that it was basically a tennis facility and that he had no business questioning anyone coming there, the security had a quick answer. “It is not just tennis. There is World Health (Organisation), (Oriental) Bank and other companies. Not everyone is allowed in,” he retorted.

Yes, he was right. Tennis is not the priority at the DLTA anymore. In fact, after the construction of the “Facility Block” — widely nicknamed “Anil Khanna's hotel” by the tennis fraternity — yet another move in the name of the Commonwealth Games, tennis has indeed been pushed to the corner, literally and figuratively.

It is a paradox that the same government which had demolished one small cubicle built for the referee some time back, stating that it violated norms, chose to build a gigantic block with about 50 rooms, conference halls, basement parking etc.

R.K. Khanna, the late president of the AITA had raised funds from the corporate sector to build a stadium, with 24 rooms and a lot of space at the basement level for every facility that was required for many prestigious Davis Cup ties, Challenger tournaments and the inaugural ATP Tour event in the country.

Much maligned for his tough stand against players like Vijay Amritraj, Khanna Senior was a man of principle who never believed in taking a single rupee from the government for developing the facility. Though blamed for not having had an eye for talent, he had enough foresight to leave space for both grass and synthetic courts at the stadium.

Of course, he used to plead, with the media more than 15 years ago to not raise the issue of his having allocated office space for his own company at the Stadium at rates much lower than market price, for fear of the stadium work being stalled.

Having fulfilled his father's dream by becoming the president of the Asian Tennis Federation, apart from being a member of the ITF Board of Directors, Anil Khanna has gone on to build what is virtually a private empire.

There is little clarity about the revenue being generated from the rooms and office space and the funds allocated from it for the promotion of the game.

Sections of the AITA and the DLTA offices that deal with players and parents, have been shifted from the main stadium to the area under court No.1 — the compact new show court. The pro shop, the stringer's room, the medical room, the referee's office and the gymnasium have also been shifted to the same place.

If you are a player, the message is simple: You have no business loitering into the more sacred business areas…unless, of course, you are paying Rs.2,500 per day to occupy one of the rooms.

The “Facility Block” in which some of the rooms were opened up for players and coaches during the recent Junior Davis Cup and Junior Fed Cup events, has one ‘Cafe Lounge', that serves as a pleasant enough an area for the players to unwind, but the items on the menu are priced high. The authorities would do well to open Gate No.7 to allow unhindered entry for visitors associated with tennis, and the rest of the area could be barricaded as was the case some time back.

You may not welcome the spectator, but at least do not intimidate people, for whom following the game is a profession by itself.

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