Diary: Bangalore Bytes

Where's the crowd?

In India, only cricket and Sania Mirza sell.

The reason Bangalore Open finds itself under pressure to retain the Tier II event, apart from the sub-standard facilities, is that they just haven't got the people in the city interested.

The crowd turn out is one of the many issues WTA chairman Larry Scott brought up during his press conference on Tuesday, and because of which Bangalore's fate is hanging in uncertainty.

While at most venues, Venus and Serena Williams command a capacity crowd the latter walked into the small KSLTA stadium on Wednesday which was not even filled to the half of it capacity. And even then most of it was made up by the media, dignitaries and the players themselves.

It was expected that the crowd turn-out would be better than the first two days since two of the top four seeds-- Serena and Patty Schnyder-- would be playing. But the Bangloreans continued to give the tournament a cold-shoulder, though the tickets start at a lowly Rs. 160.

In a country that is known for it's tennis audience and an obsession for anything Sania, the apathy showed towards a talent as big as Serena is a lesson in why India fails to be a truly sporting nation.

No matter how much we crib about the politics of sports, corrupt administrators, lack of media attention, when the ball is in the audience's court, they seldom contribute to make a mark. Of course, except for international cricket, and men's at that!

Serena and her 'Magic Bag'

The Williams sisters and their big, shiny Nike bags seem inseparable.

On Wednesday, the Indian press decided to take a sneak peek into them during Serena's post-match conference. It helped that she had just won her first match and was game for such questions.

"Mm lets see, I have gatorade in here, and lip gloss, and I even have lotion," said the American third seed, who continued to rummage her bag.

"I have my diary and medicines, camera, basically everything. It's like a magic bag. I have more stuff here than I actually have in my luggage bag!"

When asked how much of it she uses on the court, pat came the reply.

"It's funny I never need any of it on the court. But when I do need something, and it's not there in the bag..that's the times I need it for."

Vijay Amritraj plays the diplomat

The burning questions in Indian tennis, what happens to the Davis Cup team next, remains. But there aren't too many coming forward to answer.

One of India's best players and Davis Cuppers, Vijay Amritraj, when asked what he thought the All India Tennis Association's stand should be from here on, he evaded it saying he though the issue could be resolved.

While India's top two singles players Rohan Bopanna and junior Amritraj-- Prakash-- are at the helm of the revolt against captain Paes, the AITA has let the specualtions multiply by not arriving at a concrete decision and retaining both the conflicting groups for the net tie against Japan.

"There is no issue in this world that can't be resolved, no challenge that cannot be surmounted" said Amritraj. "We never gave up the match at 2-5 down and if you are going to throw in the towel at 2-5 down, then you should not be playing this sport."