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The making of a winner
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Kaza Vinayak Sarma's technique speaks volumes about his potential
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PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM
BUDDING TALENT Kaza Vinayak in action.
Kaza Vinayak Sarma has all the makings of a gifted tennis player. Not only is he talented, but also has the physique, strokes and skills to back up. During the recent Visvodaya Institute of Technology and Science (VITS) All India Tennis Association (AITA) super series championships at Kavali, the wiry youngster was at his elegant best. Each stroke was preceded by a high back-lift and topped up by a liberal dose of forward spin.
The man; his technique
If one is to dissect his game, his service is a strong signal to opponents that he means business. Tossing the ball high, the point of impact is predominantly the sweet spot of his Wilson Encode racquet head. More often than not, the ball bounces deep in the service box and rises to the chest or head level, making the task of negotiating the speeding sphere quite a difficult one for the receiver.
His forward and backhand drive, the bread and butter strokes of every tennis player, carry power. Curiously, his soft-spoken and gentle demeanour is in stark contrast to the attacking displays on court. His offensive baseline game doesn't restrict him to the backcourt though.
Frequently, he squeezes out the short ball from the opponent that he invariably smothers with a winner. So is his net-play: effective, the volleys and drops driven home with a fair amount of precision.
Where he's found lacking are perhaps in sustaining the killer instinct and the will to win. That doesn't mean he hasn't had his share of triumphs. Setting off as a qualifier in the AITA super series championship at Kolkata, he went on to claim the crown. The organisers at Gurgaon, seeing his potential, included him in the main draw and before long, it was an encore of the Kolkata performance.
Prior to these, Vinayak walked away with the titles in the AITA Talent Series under-14 events at Bhubaneswar, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and Sambalpur. And to think that the young lad took up the game in earnest only in February 2004 under the tutelage of V. Gopi at the NRI Courts in Visakhapatnam! He also underwent training with Nandan Bal in Pune this June.
Placed 10th as per the AITA rankings of July 10, Vinayak is bound to scale greater heights for sure. An intermediate student of Vizag Defence Academy, his parents, Kaza Ambika Prasad and Jancy Prasad accompany him on the circuit. Such parental support cannot last too long and if a sponsor steps in to underwrite this expensive pursuit, Vinayak could really go places, bringing pride and glory to state and country too.
A. JOSEPH ANTONY
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