Tennis is a global sport and Mysuru has been producing talented tennis players from time to time who have gone on to represent the country in different events. One such player who has made his mark in the National and International level is city men’s tennis player Suraj R. Prabodh.

Ranked No.1 in the State in the men’s section and No.12 in the country, this lad has been making steady progress and improving his ATP ranking by playing well in the ITF Futures and Circuit Tournaments. Recently taking part in the Fenesta National Tennis Championship-2017 at the DLTA Complex, New Delhi, yesterday emerged as the runner-up in the men’s singles event. He is our ‘Star This Week.’

Suraj, a product of the Mysore Tennis Club, Chamarajapuram, Mysuru, who now trains with the Milos Pavlovic at the Harvest Academy in Jassowal, had an excellent week of tennis in the National Tennis Championship 2017 at New Delhi.

Seeded No.1 in the tournament, Suraj began steadily beating Orissa’s Ansu Kumar Buyan 7-6 (8), 3-6, 6-3. In the second round, Suraj got the better of Maharashtra’s Arman Bhatia 6-3, 6-1. In the quarter-finals, Suraj, playing some aggressive tennis, beat former Davis Cup player Nitten Keerthane 6-2, 7-6 (4). In the semi-finals, Suraj was at his best playing some attacking tennis on both the flanks and beat Tamil Nadu’s Manish Sureshkumar 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2.

In the finals, Dalwinder Singh beat Suraj 6-3, 6-4 and clinched the title. The winner took home a cash prize of  Rs.3 lakh while the runner-up received a cash prize of Rs.2 lakh. Suraj also entered the semi-finals in the men’s doubles event in this tournament.

Suraj, sponsored by Cycle Pure Agarbathis, Mysuru, has been faring consistently in the ITF circuit. In March, Suraj won the men’s singles title in the AITA-Oriss Tennis Masters Men’s Tennis Tournament at Behrampur, Odisha. In the final, Suraj beat A. Borthakur 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the title. He also entered the semi-finals in the men’s doubles event.

Suraj, encouraged by his parents Prabodh and Renuka, took up to the game at an early age and has been making steady progress in this sport.

Suraj has a neat game and has a wide range of shots both on his forehand and backhand. He needs to work out on his fitness levels to sustain in this competitive world of professional tennis. Suraj presently has an ATP ranking of 1147 in singles.