This is tough, I know. Celebrities in India are constantly under scrutiny by the media. One has to handle things with dignity. But I think Sania should be mature and play her game and not worry about anything else. She must remember that no player is bigger than the game or the country.

Mahesh Bhupati says he was approached by match fixers. Does it really happen in the tennis world?

I can’t comment since no one has ever approached me. Maybe the match fixers know who to approach and who not to.

You’re the non-playing captain of the Asia Oceanic Group 1 in the Davis Cup. How do you look at the team and its chance of winning against the Uzbekistan team?

Last year, we played in Uzbekistan and had a tough season. This time round, we have a good blend of young and experienced players. Unfortunately I can’t play because of my injury, although it’s healing well. We have three-four options for the doubles but we are nurturing the singles talent. We can’t take singles lightly. I think we have a strong team, a good mix. We even have a rookie on the team.

Will you be partnering Mahesh Bhupati for the Beijing Olympics?

The Olympics are still a long way. We’ll talk about it closer to the event, when the time is right.

The 20-year-old Serbian, Novac Djokovic, recently won a Grand Slam title. When will we see a young Indian player winning a singles title?

Grand Slams will take a while. We need to create a solid base for young players. There is much more interest in tennis now than when I was growing up. However, we’re lagging behind in professional training. We need to invest in infrastructure.

State leagues have come up in cricket with movie stars and industrialists associated with them. Will there be dramatic changes in tennis too?

Tennis is number two on the popularity list in India after cricket, and is way ahead of sports like hockey and soccer. Different sports need to be nurtured, sadly that’s not happening. Not to take anything away from the cricketers— they work hard to be where they are—but if you concentrate only on one sport, then that’s all you’ll be left with. Having said that, I’m hopeful for the future of tennis.

How old is your daughter now?