Protected ranking is merit, says Devvarman; raises concern over lack of Indians in Top 200 singles
New Delhi, May 24
Former India No. 1 Somdev Devvarman has defended the use of protected rankings in professional tennis, calling it a system built strictly on merit, while expressing deep concern over the absence of Indian singles players in the world's top 200.
India's Karman Kaur Thandi had secured her spot in the women's singles qualifying draw for this year's French Open, officially ending India's recent drought of representation in Grand Slam singles events. However, her return to the Grand Slam stage ended in a tough opening-round defeat, falling to local favourite Harmony Tan in the first round of qualifying.
Speaking to IANS, the former player explained that protected ranking is not a handout but something a player earns through prior performance.
"I mean, just to be clear, protected ranking is merit," Devvarman said. "Essentially, Karman would have been eligible to participate in the French Open maybe a few years ago had she not been injured."
"But because she was injured for a long period of time, now on her comeback, she can use the ranking that she had at that time for nine months or nine tournaments, whichever comes sooner. Protected ranking only protects a player that already did qualify back then but couldn't participate because of injury," he added.
While calling the qualifying match result "disappointing" and an "eye-opening" experience for Karman, Devvarman said that the silver lining lies in her current fitness. Karman's career has long been plagued by physical setbacks, preventing her from fully realising her potential.
"She is a player that has struggled with injuries for a long, long time. Unfortunately, (she has) not been able to live up to the potential that a lot of people thought that she had. Maybe she still does. So, she is working hard. These things take time. It doesn't happen on your first go. You need to play a lot of matches for a long time to be back in this position," he observed.
The 41-year-old further shed light on the alarming reality of Indian singles tennis on the global stage, questioning the pipeline behind India's top-ranked men's singles player, Sumit Nagal.
"Why aren't there any Indians in the top 200, I guess, men or women? That's the real question of concern. We had Sumit. The question is, after him, who?
"Hopefully, we are kind of looking at Manas Dhamne. Dakshineshwar (Suresh) is doing well, but he is going to start his time on the tour in the next few weeks now. So, maybe next year, this time around, we will kind of be able to look at at least one more player," he noted.
"In the women, you kind of have to beg the question, right? Why are Sreevali [Bhamidipaty] and some of the others that are playing for the country, why are they not being able to make that jump? And what do they need to do?" Devvarman questioned.
"Obviously, the answer at the end of the day is, this is sport. So, there is no reading too much in between the lines. If you are not good enough to get there, you won't. And unfortunately, that's where we are," he concluded.
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— IANS
Reader Comments
The real concern is why we have only Sumit Nagal in top 200 men's singles. Look at China, they've invested heavily in tennis and now have multiple players in top 100. We need more academies, better coaching, and most importantly, tournaments at home. AITA needs to wake up! 🇮🇳🎾
Devvarman makes a valid point about the pipeline issue. But let's be honest - Indian tennis has always relied on individual effort rather than systematic development. Until we have proper coaching infrastructure and financial support for young talents, we'll keep seeing this pattern of one or two good players followed by a gap.
Karman is a fighter! Despite all the injuries, she's still grinding and trying to make a comeback. That takes tremendous mental strength. Protected ranking is completely fair - it's not like she was handed a wild card out of nowhere. She earned that ranking years ago through hard work. Get well soon and come back stronger Karman! 💪
It's concerning that we're celebrating a qualifying round appearance as a big achievement. While I appreciate Karman's effort, the fact is Indian tennis has stagnated. We need to ask tough questions about why players like Sreevali and others can't make the jump. Is it lack of exposure? Poor coaching? Or are we just not producing top-level talent?
Somdev is absolutely right - "If you're not good enough to get there, you won't. That's sport." Harsh but true. We keep making excuses about lack of facilities but other countries with similar resources produce better players. Time for some honest introspection instead of sugar
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.