For survival ATP, WTA 240 prerequisite, AO 26 and Djokovic show
View(s):The advantage Carlos Alcaraz used to win the Australian Open 2026 is tactical. However, an expert would never will write off Djokovic after his win over Jannik Sinner in the semi-final. In this match, two factors prevailed and both gave Djokovic what he wanted; time to play an extra shot.
One, Sinner plays a bit too far behind the base line to win against Djokovic. It is Sinner’s playing position in Singles, about a metre-and-half behind the base line. It gave Djokovic time from extra three metres of ball movement – up and down is eternity in that class of tennis.
The second, Sinner plays flat, no dominant spin to loop the ball or slow the rally to gain time when Djokovic rushed him. The marginal advantage of being able to send the next shot before Sinner repositioned and proved pivotal for Djokovic to win. Subtle but that made the difference.
We have to remember, both played their previous rounds and their threshold towards fatigue has gone past their comfort zone. All of these made Djokovic to prevail.
Elena Rybakina here to stay
A Russian winning the AO 2026 signalled that she is here to stay as a Kazakhstan player. Players changing nationality goes back in time. Bob Hewit in the 1950s and Jaroslav Drobny shifted around nationality then for better prospect. This is the reason why Elena Rybakina is playing as a Kazakhstan player. The development she has achieved by training in Russia and to sustain it she needs that training ground. Kazakhstan has many from other disciplines as their citizens – prerequisite is famous in their sport.
The game Rybakina and Ayrna Sabalenka plays are similar. One can never say with certainty as to who will win. It was so in this AO 2026 final. Rybakina held her nerves better and looked fresher, could be the reason for her win. Very good players like Justine Hennin, Serena Williams and others never fall back to their second fiddle but make the Plan One win. Rybakina and Sabalenka are in this class.
Ranked 240 tough and tactical
With the Australian Open of the year behind us, good memories of the game persist as reminder of players’ effort. Tennis is multifaceted and winners do not built to the same perfection.
The prospects of making a living and saving for the future, I may not be wrong, signs are diminishing in tennis. Sports economy is a fluctuating one and no sportsperson has been good for all times. Their personal life too is a reason for their bankruptcy. [A famous coach of USA has died bankrupt - one critic has compared him with Marlon Brando]
Kevin Anderson was the President of ATP some time back. He said a player has to be in the top 600 to make a living. This has changed to be tougher now. Unless a player is in the 240 of ATP and WTA ranking, players cannot sustain competition cost, let alone saving. We often hear of mega success and hardly the issues players face to survive. Players are changing nationality now, that is how far players go to make a living in tennis.
Our players
In the professional era, only two men and three women from Sri Lanka had sustainable income. Tennis money a potential magical hat trick. Be in the first 240 of the ATP or WTA, no money otherwise. Added to this, players must be below 20 years-of-age at the first prominence, the reality. Mega scale planned developments have failed and sidewalk approaches delivered and thrived. This is the reality. Player potential and the not that of the coaches that matters. However, it is not the rule to go by. Then how? One is ‘hard bed and hungry stomach’.
In our region, Southeast Asia, tennis and player development had an early start via ‘club facility’ approach of the colonial era. Only a few countries had this advantage. It is no more there. Globally elite academies and universities are doing talent recruitment with recognised junior ranking. Not a straightforward process. Players in such position will have to work hard and spend time playing in events travelling to reach the rankings. Expensive.
ITF Junior events
Currently in Colombo, ITF events are being worked out – a series of them. In the past, our regional junior tennis domination was with countries with colonial influence. With ITF programme going to many South Central Asian countries, vast number of countries have come in. West and East Europeans are here for weeks playing in junior events. Good few of our players got into it and taken out, in the early rounds. Dinara de Silva has survived with international exposure is remaining as I write this.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; player development German Federation, National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup, ATP and WTA tour coach; WhatsApp +94775448880–