Dubai: Frenchman Fabrice Santoro is only too happy to act as a bridge linking two generations of players during the ongoing International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).
Santoro, a singles winner at the annual Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2002, is player/coach of the Indian Aces, who also boast legend Pete Sampras and current stars Roger Federer, Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna.
Though not counted among the top-ranked players, Santoro had an unusually long professional playing career spanning more than two decades. He was immensely popular among spectators and fellow players for his winning attitude and shot-making abilities. A winner of six ATP titles, the highest ranking the Frenchman achieved was No. 17 in 2001.
But now, other than pitching in on the court when required, the 42-year-old is reaching out to the younger generation.
“To start with, a competition like the IPTL helps younger players to be with the all-time greats and learn from them all the time. The youngsters are keen learners and here they get to see first-hand what it is to be with champions such as Roger [Federer] and [Pete] Sampras,” Santoro said.
“I’ve had players come up to me and ask me for my opinion and I have been more than happy to help them. Gael Monfils is one of the nicest people I’ve known. And though we meet at times in Paris for a meal, in the past two weeks I have spent so much time with him that we have come to know each other even better. That has also helped me push him even more to achieve his true potential as a player.
“Ana [Ivanovic] is another young player. She has been world number one in the past and now she is only 27 and can get better. It’s a good thing that she is ambitious and wants to do better in her tennis each day.
“I was a kid once and I needed advice every day. The IPTL has been one of my best professional experiences. I had the chance to be on the tour for 21 years, but what I have experienced in the past three weeks has been truly amazing.”
