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Current system won't produce good players: Vaidyanathan

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Questioning the functioning of the All India Tennis Association, former national champion Nirupama Vaidyanathan today said the current system was not helpful in producing good players.

The 36-year Vaidyanathan, who was first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam round in 1998, said if at all the new crop of players will develop, it will be by their own efforts.

"I am pretty sure that there will be new talents coming out of their own efforts. I am not sure on current scheme of things, I am not too hopeful that it could be done in a large scale like China," Vaidyanathan said at the launch of her autobiography 'Moonballer'.
 

Vaidyanathan, who is now coaching in the US, added that, "It can be done with proper organisation skill."

The winner of 1998 Asian Games bronze medal with Mahesh Bhupathi, said the budding players can look up to Sania Mirza for inspiration.

"I did not have anybody to look upto. But now that Sania is in top bracket, budding players can look upto her for motivation. But we need three or four people to do that," she said.

Vaidyanathan rued that the All India Tennis Association (AITA), did not help her enough when she was making her way into the tennis world.

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First Published: Aug 02 2013 | 3:40 PM IST

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