On the sidelines of ATP 250 match in Pune in January this 12 months, Sumit Nagal had lamented the absence of house tournaments. Covid used to be harsh on Indian gamers. In 2020, India hosted just one match – Bengaluru Challenger event. It used to be then again canceled within the following 12 months whilst the Tata Open remained a relentless at the ATP calendar. Bengaluru Open returned in 2022 with “two successful back-to-back Challenger 80 tournaments”. The two different tournaments – Challenger occasions in Chennai and Pune – returned after a three-year hole in 2023. Home tournaments are regularly noticed as a very simple and comfy choice for native gamers to spice up their score whilst additionally slicing the expense of touring in another country.
Indian gamers had failed to depart an affect all the way through that duration, however with the go back of ATP Challenger Tour in India – with back-to-back occasions in Chennai, Bengaluru and Pune – after two years hole, Nagal had left a large affect. He used to be the one Indian to protected major draw wins in all of the 3 occasions whilst attaining the semis in Chennai. Eric Lamquet, the director of the ATP Challenger Tour, following Nagal’s spectacular run in Chennai, admitted that “having opportunities to play at home paramount for India players”.
In an unique interview with Hindustan Times Digital, Lamquet talked concerning the tennis tradition in India, the destiny of the Nagpur Challenger match, and and ATP’s “significant” step to publicize the Challenger Tour around the globe. Here are excerpts
Q) Let’s get started the interview via speaking about you. What’s the tale at the back of being the ATP Challenger Tour director?
The tale began in 1999 once I determined to turn into a tennis umpire and labored my approach up the echelons of world officiating. In 2006, I gained my White Badge chair umpire certification after effectively passing the examinations in Malmo, Sweden. Two years later, my ample critiques and tough paintings at the world circuits gave me the chance to climb up one step and obtain my Bronze Badge. That opened the doorways to the Grand Slams and alternatives to increase my community. After I graduated from college in 2008, I had a one-year stint in human assets in my native land of Brussels, after which determined to discover the sector as an umpire. That opened the door to a role on the International Tennis Federation in London. My revel in and the superb relationships I constructed through the years landed me a role with the ATP. The leisure is all laborious paintings, dedication, and quite a lot of endurance!
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Q) Were you at all times into tennis or most probably an aspiring tennis participant?
I in no time discovered I had no long term as a tennis participant, so determined to climb up the stairs of the umpire’s chair.
Q) Was this your first travel to India? What has it been like? How a lot did you experience?
It used to be my 2d travel to India, the primary one being 2018. India is simply interesting, there’s no approach to not experience it! The other people make you’re feeling welcome the minute you get off the aircraft and if you depart the airport you might be immersed in a global of lovely colours and contrasts.
Q) What has been your affect of the tennis tradition in India? How have the preparations been made for the Bengaluru Open? Any explicit house that inspired you probably the most?
India has a wealthy historical past of tennis. In that appreciate, it used to be nice the event invited a titan of Indian tennis in Vijay Armitraj. It used to be additionally a real privilege and honor with the intention to trade perspectives with him at the Challenger excursion. The Bengaluru Open runs like clockwork as it has an skilled, dedicated and pleasant control and an overly supportive State executive at the back of it. The event organizers perceive the gamers’ want to discover a ‘house out of doors in their house’ at each and every match. The inaugural match provides a pleasant contact of Incredible India!
Q) If you need to communicate concerning the go back of ATP Challenger excursion to India after an opening of two years with an addition of an additional – the Nagpur Challenger.
I can’t lately remark at the addition of a Challenger in Nagpur, however each and every software is going thru a rigorous overview procedure ahead of receiving the ATP’s stamp of approval. I’d similar to to elucidate that India made its go back on our calendar in 2022, when Bengaluru ran two a success back-to-back Challenger 80 tournaments in February. In that appreciate, it used to be just a one-year hole (2021) as Bengaluru additionally ran a Challenger 125 in 2020 ahead of the ATP calendar used to be suspended because of the pandemic.
Q) How essential is it for Indian gamers, who like many others world wide have been suffering from the Covid and feature rued the absence of house tournaments?
It is paramount for any participant, irrespective of their nationality, to have enjoying alternatives at house or ‘on the subject of house’ because it reduces their bills enormously, but additionally administrative problems reminiscent of visa packages on every occasion required.
Q) Do you notice those 4 occasions as a part of the ATP Challenger Tour in India a relentless for lengthy? Probably an addition of a couple of others?
We at all times hope our Challenger tale can be one among long-standing dedication! We celebrated our longest-running (40 years uninterrupted!) match at the circuit in 2022 in spite of everything!
Q) Lastly, if you need to discuss your complete overhaul within the Challenger Tour in contemporary months and the way may just such occasions additionally turn into a crowd puller.
The ATP has made important investments within the Challenger Tour’s social media platforms to develop consciousness of the circuit on each an international and regional foundation. Linked to this, we’re launching a brand new emblem positioning for the Challenger Tour later this 12 months. This will permit us to inform our tale in an advanced and more energizing approach. Globally we’ve noticed that tournaments which were at the calendar for a number of years organize to protected just right crowds. Consistency, legacy and historical past are essential techniques to construct consciousness and pastime in person occasions.