Punjab can become top player in tennis: Italian coach

Indervir Grewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19

At one of his first few sessions, tennis coach Fabrizio Caldarone asked the youngsters who had showed up for the coaching clinic to demonstrate their forehands. Over the net came powerful shots that impressed the onlookers at the multipurpose stadium in Sector 69, Mohali.

But the Italian wasn’t impressed. Next, he set up a target for them to hit. Everyone failed miserably. “I noticed everyone tried to play hard, but lacked control,” said Caldarone, who recently conducted a 10-day long coaching clinic organised by the Punjab Institute of Sports (PIS).

“So I decided to start there, emphasising on control rather than power,” added the 50-year-old, who is a B-Level coach (highest level) with the Global Professional Tennis Coach Association, which is recognised by ATP.

The native of Padua worked with around 20 children, boys and girls, in the 6-16 age group. “I worked on basic technique. Then I talked about understanding the court — positioning on court, how to approach each shot, when to take the ball etc. Then I discussed how to control the game, choosing what shots to play when and what angles to go for,” he added.

“But I worked mainly on the basics. I emphasised on consistency. I told them to work on control before going for power. I worked on each kid, feeding them balls with hands. It builds trust; standing so close helps each in understanding the other better,” he added.

“We only had 10 days but I was happy with the progress the kids made. What you look for at the end of such clinics is if the kids were able to understand the main concepts you taught. So the next time you come you don’t have to start afresh again,” added Caldarone, who collaborates with various academies in Italy and Spain.

Will there be a next time? “I am excited about the potential I have seen. This is a good initiative by PIS. From what I have figured out from my discussions is that there is a need for a system in place for developing coaches, making a training curriculum etc.”

Punjab is not known for producing top tennis players, but Caldarone was confident that “with the right projects and actions, tennis can be developed in the state”. 

Caldarone, who calls himself a tennis consultant, is not just a coach. He was a professional player, with clay being his “favourite” surface. He was the tour manager for a sports clothing brand for 10 years and for a shoe brand for thee years, working with players such as Ivo Karlovic. 

Caldarone said that with his experience in different fields and his collaborations with different academies across Europe he can help Punjab develop tennis. “I have presented a proposal to PIS. I will return to Italy and look for options for collaborations with clubs or academies,” he added.