New Indian tandem a doubles delight

GUANGZHOU - Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are the most frequently mentioned names when talking about Indian men's tennis.

Somdev Devvarman (left) and Sanam Krishan Singh of India celebrate their win over Gong Maoxin and Li Zhe of China in the final of the men's doubles tennis competition on Monday. [Photo/Agencies]?

However a new, dynamic Indian pair has arrived on the scene and is poised to accept the baton from its famous compatriots.

Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Krishan Singh clinched the men's doubles gold medal at the Guangzhou Asian Games on Monday in what could be the dawning of a new era in Indian tennis.

"This is the best moment in my life. It is the first time I have played for India and to get a gold medal with Somdev is special. It's a dream come true," said Singh after the Indians defeated the Chinese pair of Gong Maoxin and Li Zhe 6-3, 6-7 (4), 10-8.

The pair had only played together once before the Asiad, thanks to a wild-card entry into January's Chennai Open on home soil. They reached the semifinals in that event.

Despite a successful international debut, they did not expect to play together in Guangzhou.

Singh, 22, is a senior at the University of Virginia with little professional experience and no ATP ranking while Devvarman, 25, is a pro who once was ranked 94 in the world and made it to the final of the Chennai Open in 2009, where he lost to Croatia's Marin Cilic.

But when Paes and Bhupathi were not available for the Guangzhou Games, Singh was afforded a spot on the Indian roster.

"It's a great honor for me to represent India and I'm happy I was able to do this well this week," he said.

His inclusion meant he was able to play alongside close friend Devvarman.

The latter put on hold his dream of becoming a professional player in 2004 and moved to the United States to attend the University of Virginia, which boasts one of the best college tennis programs in the US.

He won two NCAA titles in back-to-back seasons, defeating John Isner in 2007 and JP Smith in 2008, before he developed into the top-ranked Indian pro.

That prompted Singh to make the same decision and follow in Devvarman's footsteps.

"I was actually talking with him before I went there," said Singh, a native of Chandigarh. "It helped me to make my decision."

Virginia head coach Brian Boland also believes Devvarman played a pivotal role in Singh's decision.

"Sanam's early mindset was to turn professional and not go to college," Boland told the Asian Games News Service in an e-mail interview. "However, after he saw the improvement in Somdev's game, he began to see college as a real option."

Singh soon took the same path as Devvarman, who graduated with a degree in sociology in 2008.

Devvarman was briefly ranked the No 1 player in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings in 2005. In March, Singh reached No 2.

Interestingly, the two never played with each other in Virginia. But their performances already show a special chemistry that Paes and Bhupathi once shared.

"We are very good friends and very close," said Devvarman. "I feel like that's why we gel well together and we complement each other's games. We are happy that we have had the chance to do this."

However, there is still a long way to go before the two play together consistently as Singh still has six months to go before hopefully graduating with a degree in foreign affairs. He had to ask for a break from his studies to play in Guangzhou.

Also, his low ranking could prevent him from attending the same professional tournaments as Devvarman.

"I will go back to college and get my degree first," Singh said. "I also have to lift my ranking so that we can play in the same tournaments in the future."