Want to Secure Place in Top 100, Says Asian Games 2014 Gold Medallist Saketh Myneni

After putting up a stellar performance at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, tennis player Saketh Sai Myneni said here that he is targeting the 2016 Rio Olympics by securing a position in the top 100 of the ATP men's rankings.

The 26-year-old player from Visakhapatnam, Myneni bagged gold medal in mixed doubles with compatriot Sania Mirza after beating Taipei's Hsien Yin Peng and Hao Ching Chan in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

Saketh also secured a silver medal in men's doubles with Sanam Singh as they lost to Hyeon Chung and Yongkyu Lim of Korea by 7-5 7-6 (2).

Saketh told reporters here on Sunday at his felicitation programme by the Century Club that he is eyeing the 2016 Rio Olympics by improving his game to secure a place in the top 100, which is the qualifying rank to participate in the Olympic Games.

"Three months back my ranking was 250 and at present it is 400 as I could not play for two to three months due to some injury earlier," Saketh said.

"This was the first time I played doubles that too with a great player in Sania Mirza. It gave me a great exposure," he said.

On playing with Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, Saketh also said, "It was a great opportunity. I did not face any problem because I knew Sania Mirza and her game. Infact, it is great that such a good player like her chose to play the mixed doubles with me. I understood the game plan and executed it well to win the medal."

He said he had started playing at the age of 12 in Visakhapatnam with the century club and later moved to Hyderabad.

"My parents and friends supported me well. Later, at 17, I moved to USA and joined in University of Alabama where I improved my game along with studies and studied financial economics. The stay there was a great exposure to my game as I learnt several techniques there," he said.

On being asked whether he has any plans to start a tennis academy in the city as part of development of the game, the young player said that at present he has no plans and would currently focus on the game.

"But we need good infrastructure like hard courts for international exposure. Tennis is a costly game and we have to spend more money on hard courts," he added.