Former India player Somdev Devvarman takes on AITA over dropping Sumit Nagal

Somdev-Devvarman
Retired Somdev Devvarman lambasts AITA in scathing open letter. File Pic

Internet Desk: Former India player Somdev Devvarman, who recently retired from tennis took on the All India Tennis Association (AITA) for dropping Sumit Nagal from the Davis Cup squad. In a scathing attack to the AITA, Somdev criticised secretary general Hironmoy Chatterjee for allegedly making public the reasons behind dropping 19-year-old Nagal from India’s Davis Cup team. Nagal was omitted from the team which is due to play New Zealand in February due to a serious breach of discipline. According to the report, an AITA source stated that during India’s Davis Cup tie against Spain last year Nagal finished the mini-bar in his hotel room and had to skip the morning practice sessions due to a hangover. The source said that Nagal also brought his girlfriend to Delhi during the Spain tie without permission.

Somdev, in an open letter to AITA, alleged Mr Chatterjee for accusing Nagal and Federation and went on to question the motive behind making those allegations public. In the letter, published by the Indian Express , the 31-year-old states that he wants to expose AITA as an incompetent tennis body. “As you were openly bringing bad publicity to our young player Sumit Nagal, one has to wonder, what were you really trying to accomplish there? Were you trying to teach Sumit a lesson? Are you trying to make an example out of him? Are you trying to cover up the bad decision your selection committee made with picking only 5 players for the next Davis cup tie and leaving out our highest ranked player Rohan Bopanna? What is it you’re exactly tying to accomplish is my question to you,” wrote Devvarman .

He further wrote, “Is Sumit Nagal perfect? Probably not! He hasn’t done things perfectly by any means. But he is a good kid. He is a hard working kid and with the right guidance he has the potential to be a fantastic player for our country. Just another reminder here that Sumit has DENIED all these allegations made against him.”

“Now if you truly have a problem with a 19-year-old, any sensible mature adult would sit him down in a room with some senior players, the captain and if need be the federation representative and explain to him what is acceptable and what is not. Doing so over a newspaper that’s broadcasted throughout the country is hardly a way to teach a young player a lesson. Do you agree with me there? If yes, I once again ask you, what is the real point of your article by the PTI that brings in negative press to Sumit?,” wrote Devvarman.

Devvarman, who recently retired from tennis had expressed his displeasure with AITA saying that the federation was not interested in creating a good system to help players.