From Facing Jannik Sinner To Claiming Padel Medal: Aryan Goveas Courting Glory

“If not the tennis court, I’ll forge my destiny on the padel court.” Aryan Goveas refused to let challenges like financial struggle, federation politics and the pressures of tennis hold him back. He persevered and proved that if one path is blocked, another awaits. His determination led him to be a part of India's medal-clinching team in the first edition of the Asia Pacific Padel Cup in Bali. (More Sports News)

In Aryan Goveas-Rahul Motwani’s first-ever tournament appearance as well as in the first of its kind competition, India’s padel team came third in the Asia Pacific Padel Cup in Indonesia.

Despite them not making the final, they beat Malaysia 3-0 to clinch the bronze medal.

The 26-year-old Aryan, now making waves in padel, wasn’t always into the sport. He started playing tennis at the age of seven and had made a name for himself in it before deciding to pursue a new path.

Aryan rose up the tennis ranks quickly after joining the nearest academy. Becoming number one in his state (Maharashtra) catapulted him to a professional academy, where he represented India in the Junior Davis Cup and, at this point, became the highest-ranked junior Indian in the world, above Sumit Nagal.

But this transition from the junior to the men's category changed everything. It transformed his fun hobby into an addiction. The journey was tiring because of too much traveling, pressure on the wallet and need for mental coaching.

Looking back at the daunting transition into the senior category, Aryan tells Outlook: "It was a different ball game altogether. Many tennis players have spoken about it. Travelling becomes routine and keeping your body injury-free, along with conditioning, affects both your physical and mental health. Being away from family for long periods is tough. Losing is hard, and I realized it’s not easy being an athlete.”

As he went pro in tennis, Aryan recognized the gaps in what he needed to reach the top. He noted, “I felt like an adult, but no one prepares you for it. You need resources, and in Indian tennis, we lack that. We need a better federation, sponsorship and proper training. It was difficult, but we persevered.”

Playing Against Jannik Sinner

Playing against world number one Jannik Sinner is an honour for any tennis player today, but for a young Aryan, it was just another match back then. The Indian faced Sinner, who was a promising player then, at the age of 20. The Italian was only 17 at the time, just beginning to make a name for himself, and that encounter was a unique experience for Aryan.

Reflecting on the match, the Mumbaikar said, “When I played in Egypt, everyone was talking about this new Italian kid with great potential. When the draw came out, I had no clue who he was.

But once I stepped onto the court and lost to him, I picked up my phone and told my coach, ‘This guy will be in the top 10 one day.’ And he’s been on fire ever since. The spark was always there, like there's only one Carlos Alcaraz and one Sinner.”

Transition From Tennis To Padel

Covid-19 changed countless lives, and Aryan was no exception. During the pandemic, with travel restrictions and financial constraints, he realized that pursuing tennis would be challenging due to its reliance on travel. Before that, he had a sponsorship, but as the world changed, so did his situation.

He decided to take a break from the sport. A friend who was into tennis coaching encouraged him to explore coaching as a hobby, and that’s when things began to shift for him.

Looking back at that phase, Aryan shared, “I had a sponsorship, but after Covid, they dropped their support for tennis players. Losing that sponsorship forced me to take a step back. I started coaching tennis at just 23, wanting to share my knowledge.

"But when I tried to come back to the sport, I realized it didn’t work out. People had shifted to doubles, but I wasn’t interested in that. I felt the need to do something different, especially with the uncertainty of another lockdown looming.”

In just a year, Aryan met folks from PadelPark India, who were looking for coaches. Intrigued by the sport, which combines elements of tennis and squash, he joined to add it to his CV. “I thought it would be a fun addition,” he said with a laugh.

However, as he started competing in tournaments in Mumbai, everything happened quickly. The former tennis player was selected to play in the first edition of the Asia Pacific Padel Cup in Bali, and to his surprise, the team bagged a bronze medal.

Discussing the financial aspect of the sport, Aryan noted, “Many players leave when there’s no sponsorship; Indian tennis is in a tough spot, and I was in the same situation. But in padel, there’s already support. PadelPark's sponsor is JSW, and Parth Jindal himself plays padel."

He added, "Our training camp was at the Inspire Institute in Vijayanagar under Spanish head coach Victor Perez. People are genuinely passionate about this sport, and I love the momentum we have here.”

Challenges For Indian Tennis Players: Funding, Infrastructure And Support

Indian tennis is currently mired in a blame game, with the All India Tennis Association (AITA) criticizing Nagal for not participating in the Davis Cup, while allegations of funding misuse surround AITA president Anil Jain.

Additionally, Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja have taken the AITA to court over alleged violations of the sports code. Clouds of misfortune seem to be hanging over Indian tennis.

According to Aryan, this is not a new situation. “One of the biggest issues we face is that there’s no system in place. Even top players like Sumit Nagal are being criticized by the federation, which speaks volumes about the state of affairs. Sadly, even now, when I talk to people in the circuit, the conversations revolve around the same problems.”

The crux of the issue is that athletes are left to fend for themselves. There’s no national centre for tennis or a supportive system. Achievements in Indian tennis are often individual efforts. Aryan emphasized the urgent need for change: “It’s time we do something about it.

We need proper infrastructure and, most importantly, the backing of the federation. Sports bodies should be prepared to accommodate players' needs, just like many international federations do.”

Introspecting on his journey, Aryan offered advice to newcomers: “I've learned from my mistakes, and if you want to excel in tennis and compete at the pro level, you need a solid foundation. A pro needs around INR 50 lakh to 1 crore in one year to reach a good level, travel and all other things combined.”

He also shared his perspective on padel, saying, “In padel, everyone is included – sponsors and players alike. It’s a new sport in India and is comparatively easier to break into. My personal goal is to compete at the highest level of padel and play internationally within the next five years. The great thing about this sport is that you can play until you’re 40 years old.”

Aryan is not only trying to make a name for himself in padel, but also leveraging his social media presence to promote the sport. He understands that influencing people to join this new game is crucial, especially in cricket-dominated India.

As he puts it, “Dikhega toh hi bikega (only that which is visible will sell),” highlighting the importance of publicity for a sport that’s still finding its footing.