Spotlight

Tennis: Players disgusted

Srian OBEYESEKERE

Tennis players are a disgruntled lot who claim that they are neglected by the governing arm of the sport the Tennis Association of Sri Lanka (TASL). Almost all players spoken to by the Sunday Observer have the same story to say; that they are not looked after by the Tennis Association.

Their biggest bane is that when it comes to finances and expenses they do not get any money from the (TASL), and that they have to pocket out all expenses when it comes to overseas tours.

The players' grievances are that they are being skinned when it comes to spending and that if they do not pocket out their travel expenses such as air fare and the like that they would be left stagnating. In effect, their careers in the sport depend on them alone where it boils down to the plain fact as to whether they can raise the big monies involved to pursue a tennis career or not.

Not having the financial means no career, and only those players from affluent families can as such make ends meet. Whether airfare or purchasing a tennis racquet only those who are fortunate enough whose parents can afford the money can make the grade. And it is no secret that all the top players in the local tennis circuit such as Guayanga Weerasekera, Jithmie Jayawickrema, Sanka Athukorala and Amritha Muttiah have made the grade only because they had the financial means of tending to their own careers.

This resultantly with it raises the question what of those players from poor families who have the talent but do not have the means to make good a tennis career?

Indeed, it is dismaying that tennis unlike comparatively in cricket which has opened the doors from the haves to the have nots to the village cricketer in a big way, does not reach out to rural latent talent; a factor which if translated to a higher lane in general could like in cricket see tennis go places on a bigger platform.

Tennis players also claim that the facilities afforded to them are not adequate and that the Tennis Association could do much more if it wants to put Sri Lanka on the map in the South Asian Region. All top players claim that they are forced to give up their careers in mid stream unable to go fully professional because of constraints they face with no real tangible backing by the governing arm of the sport.

What most top players do is hang up their racquets in disgust; the best example of which is Sri Lanka's topmost player in recent times - Harshana Godamana who recently quit playing professional tennis to become a coach because he did not receive the desired backing.