Bopanna launches Tennis Academy on 36th birthday

India's doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna today celebrated his 36th birthday by inagurating his tennis academy with a three-day clinic for players in the age bracket of 4 and 14.
Situated in the bustling suburb of Yelahanka, Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) has four clay courts equipped with a mini-tennis option, a cinder track for training and fitness training equipment.
The academy will officially open in the second week of April and will offer an extensive range of coaching programs.
"Having learnt and played the game in India, where the focus is mainly on developing tennis skills, unlike abroad where I saw there was an equal focus on both fitness and tennis skills. I realized that there was a gap in our training and methodology which hampered the growth and abilities of our talent and that fitness was a key component in developing talent from a young age," Bopanna said.

"My endeavour and focus while conceptualizing the academy was clear, I wanted to create a truly international coaching experience which developed players to their complete potential while encouraging them to play the game and have fun while doing so," said Bopanna.
Former South African star and French Open winner Pietie Norval will play the role of Mentor-Coach and guide the coaching team at RBTA.
"Our curriculum is focused on prioritising fitness for the child enrolled in the program to ensure that they are fit for any sport that they may chose to participate in, in the future. The curriculum is focused on developing overall fitness, building a strong foundation in techniques and tips on leveraging their game for match play success," Norval said.

RBTA has also roped in experienced fitness coach Yash Pandey, who has worked with several international sposrtmen as well as the Indian Davis Cup team, the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Sheffield United Football Club academy (UK) and the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital.