Somdev backs Nagal, gets Sania, Bopanna thumbs-up

MELBOURNE: Somdev Devvarman's open letter to the All India Tennis Association, questioning secretary Hironmoye Chatterjee's uncharitable comments on 19-year-old Sumit Nagal -damaging the Davis Cupper's reputation, perhaps irreparably -received a thumbs up from Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna.
Devvarman, who reached a career-high ranking of 62, said in a letter his sources told him that it was Chatterjee who made the comments which appeared in newspapers across the country.“You accused Sumit of finishing his mini bar. You have accused him of missing a practice as he was hungover. However he has categorically denied both of the accusations.“
In the letter, which was made available to TOI, Somdev queried, “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 five players for the next Davis Cup tie (against New Zealand in February) and leaving out our highest-ranked player Rohan Bopanna?“ Sania and Bopanna applauded the 31-year-old.
“Somdev has made some fair points,“ the Hyderabadi said. Bopanna joined his Olympics mixed-doubles partner in asking, “What is the point of making such comments about players? What are they trying to achieve?“ “I have read Som's letter. If there was need to discipline Sumit, it shouldn't have happened in a public forum,“ Sania added.