World Top 10 star and French Open finalist Robin Soderling of Sweden will be top draw at India’s only ATP event from January 4-10.

By Bhagya Ayyavoo

The approaching end of an ATP season always triggers action time in India.
Tuesday in New Delhi was no different, as the 2010 edition of India's longest running ATP event, the Aircel Chennai Open, kicked off its promotional campaign. The logo for the season-opening tournament was unveiled in the presence of All India Tennis Association president Anil Khanna, AITA vice-president and event organizing committee chairman Karthi P Chidambaram and Aircel chief operating officer Gurdeep Singh.

The ATP Tour 250 event, which is entering its 15th year, had humble beginnings in New Delhi in 1996 and has grown progressively after moving to the tennis hub of the nation, Chennai, since 1997. From Gold Flake to the Tata Group and then the Public-Private Partnership which hosted the event for five years, to the new sponsors Aircel, the tournament changed many hands. But it has also shaped up as a world-class event with top players like Rafael Nadal, Pat Rafter (1998 champion) and Boris Becker charming the venue with their participation. Nadal, the World No.2, featured in three editions of the event in 2004, 2007 and 2008. The Spaniard missed an opportunity to grab the trophy in each of his appearances.

In the coming season, Chennai will welcome the man who stopped clay-king Rafa from his fifth straight French Open title - Robin Soderling. The French Open finalist, a top-10 player, will join the battle, along with defending champion Marin Cilic in January.

Chennai Open has always been the perfect launch-pad for local talent over the years. But the tournament reaped its best rewards in 2009, when Somdev Devvarman reached the final. AITA president Khanna was quick to flaunt the sport's great run this year.

"Somdev reached the final (at Chennai Open), followed by Yuki who won the junior Australian Open title; Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi clinched the mixed doubles crown at the AUS Open and finally Leander Paes with his partner sealed the year by bringing home the US Open doubles title. And then we reached the Group finals of the 2010 Davis Cup after a sensational victory against South Africa. This is perhaps the most wonderful season for Indian tennis," he recounted.

However, all is not rosy with Indian tennis, especially since the Ministry of Sports brought in the citizenship rule. As per Khanna's statement, which omitted any mention of Prakash Amritraj, the AITA seems to be signaling there will be no let-up in the body's attitude to him. This may also mean that Amritraj, who has been an automatic choice for a wild-card in the past years, may not get one this year. But with Rohan Bopanna,Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh doing well in singles, Khanna feels the Indian wild-card scenario looks very competitive for 2010.