KUALA LUMPUR: National tennis player Darrshan Kumar is set to play collegiate tennis in the United States but has made it clear he has not given up on his dream to turn professional.
Darrshan is set to join University of North Dakota, an NCAA Division One school, later this month where he will read biomedical engineering.
The 18-year-old, however, said he hopes to find opportunities to play in ITF Futures events while he is at university and give turning pro a shot once he has graduated.
“I really hope I can play in M15 or M25 (level) futures events if I can get in (while at university),” said Darrshan recently.
“It would be great if I could score some futures (ITF) or ATP points, that would really help my tennis progress in the way I want it to.
“But at the same time, university (degree) is my backup plan. My parents want me to have a degree (to fall back on) in case something happens to me, like an injury, and I can’t continue playing.
“But of course I really want to play professional tennis. It is a dream I have had since I was a kid so I have to at least give it a shot to satisfy myself.”
Darrshan played a key role in helping Malaysia secure promotion in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group IV competition in Kuala Lumpur last month.
Modern sports science has helped extend tennis players’ longevity substantially. Roger Federer retired at 41 while his compatriot, three-time grand slam winner Stan Wawrinka is still playing at 40.
At 38, Novak Djokovic is still ranked in the top-10 and continues to go deep in the second week of grand slam tournaments.
This has allowed college players more time to develop their game and boost their chances of succeeding on the pro tour once they have concluded their studies.
Darrshan was speaking during the latest Timesport: On The Beat podcast episode which airs today on Audio+, Spotify and Apple Podcast.
He was a guest on the podcast together with fellow national tennis player Koay Hao Sheng.
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