Indian Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi on Saturday asserted that India lacks a tennis culture and people should not expect miracles in terms of big wins.
While replying to a question about the scenario of tennis as a sport in India, Bhupathi said, "My advice is that people should not expect miracles. People constantly keep saying why we don't have a single grand slam champion. And that's because we don't have a culture of tennis in our country. You know Leander was an anomaly, Sania was an anomaly and that's the way it is going to be."
Bhupathi also opined that in India a lot more investment is needed in every sport and not just tennis.
"If you want to build champions consistently you will have to invest in the sport," he said.
Talking of changing sports scenario in India, Bhupathi said, " It's growing very aggressively every year which is a very positive sign but considering the length and depth of the country I think there is a long way to go and its great that a lot of corporates are getting involved now.
On being asked as to whether he feels that a lot more can be done in Tennis singles, he said, "There is always lot more to be done but who is doing it, who has to do it, who should do it, these are the questions I mean I don't have the answers but I think lot more has to done in every sport in country."
He also said that tennis is not a priority in India and if the country wants to have Grand Slam Champion, a lot more needs to be done about it.
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Bhupathi said, "Is tennis a priority in our country? I don't know everyone asked me but is it a priority? Does anyone care? So if someone cares someone takes the bull by the horn. We don't have Indian grand slam champion because miracles don't happen. One has to work for it; we need to have 20 players like Spain Argentina and France to be in the top 100 and then one of them will win. You cannot have one player from top 100 who's going to win the grand slam. India as a country has a lot of priority that needs to be addressed but is tennis one of the top hundred? I doubt it. People are still living without water without food without electricity, so is tennis priority, I don't think so."
Bhupathi along with Leander Paes were considered to be one of the greatest Indian Tennis double's pair, has won 25 ATP doubles titles together, including three Grand Slams, during their 16-year span.