Siyonaa Jhanwar. Does the name ring a bell? If not, it will sooner than later. Well, well,if Priety Zinta and and Shilpa Shetty can buy and become bosses of cricket teams, can Siyonaa stay far behind?
Siyonaa the gorgeous entrepreneur and sports enthusiast has just become the proud owner of the SRK Rajasthan Tigers for the much-anticipated upcoming Tennis Premiere League (TPL) tournament. In an exclusive interview Siyonaa talks about her journey, the team and much more..Read on:
QUESTION : Tell us something about SRK Rajasthan Tigers.
ANS- SRK Rajasthan Tigers is team born out of passion and determination to win and grow. We are here to help invest in and promote the sport of tennis, but we’re not here to merely to just fill the numbers, we’re here to win!
Q2. How do you think or plan to create more awareness about lawn-tennis when country like India which somehow is obsessed with cricket?
ANS- I think in a huge country like India there is enough space for multiple sports to coexist. It doesn’t have to be one replacing or fighting with another. We see the laurels that our Olympians get, that leagues like Kabaddi and badminton has got, and tennis has as well! And this has been alongside cricket, not instead of it. So we hope that with this league we can support and nurture young talent, draw attention to the sport, and create a support system that will help the sport grow.
Q3. How do you see the prospect of your team in this prestigious tournament?There are other big teams also competing.
ANS- Well of course there are a lot of great teams, and most of them with the experience of a couple of seasons already, but we’re confident of the team we have built, and along with our support staff, are aiming for nothing less than becoming champions!
Q4. What are your priority areas in building up this team?
ANS- We want to create a mix of youth and experience. TPL presents a unique opportunity with the age groups of Under-14 and Under-18 rubbing shoulders with the senior players, and we want to maximise that exposure so talent can thrive. But we of course also want to play exciting tennis, and create a team that our fans can love and support.
Q5. You never had a sports background. How come you entered into this arena?
ANS- Sport is something that can capture the imaginations and entertain people like nothing else. It’s also an avenue that helps develop young people, keep adults fit, and overall promotes an incredible lifestyle. So with that combination of entertainment + health, I think it was only a matter of time that I entered this arena!
Q6. What do you think about the current situation of lawn-tennis in India? And how do you visualize its future prospects?
ANS- I think the stakeholders have been doing a great job, and it is just waiting for more people to support the ambitions. We’ve seen Indians in the past win laurels at the highest levels, so there has of course been a lot of positives. I think with leagues like TPL, and investment into the youth, the infrastructure, support for the players, it is only going to grow year on year.
Q7. How’s the strength of your team? Are the players going for any special training?
ANS- We have a great composition of players. We have one of India’s most senior players in Prajnesh, and of course an exciting and experienced player in Aryan. This is also the first season that TPL will have an international player and we’ve got Diana who will bring some fabulous tennis with her. And to round it off we got some great picks from the talent days. The team will of course spend some time together, and the unique approach that everyone brings is sure to lift the entire team.
Q8. Has Priety Zinta influenced you in any manner as being a lady how successfully she has managed an IPL team like Punjab Kings?
ANS- Yes of course it is very inspiring to see how well she has led the Punjab Kings XI team, and I’ll be seeing if I can pick up any tips from her, and of course the other owners, along the way.
Q9. Adding a related question, are you feeling any pressure in handling an international team and with male players competing?
ANS- I don’t think I’m feeling more pressure than anyone else would. Yes, women are under represented in sport management roles, but the capabilities and acumen is the same across the board. I think it is a great opportunity for me to lead a team like SRK Rajasthan Tigers, and together with our male and female athletes and support staff, I look forward to creating a successful team.
Q10. Who’s your all-time favourite tennis player?
ANS- I don’t think one can look beyond Roger Federer!
RAJASTHAN TIGERS’ PRIDE,COMPETITORS’ ENVY!
*Diana Marcinkevica
+ Won 7 ITF titles in Singles
+ Have 26 ITF titles in Doubles.
+ Have played all Grand Slams in Singles.
+ 12 years representing Latvia in Federation Cup.
*Aryan Goveas.
+ ITF 15,000$ Doubles winner
+ Fenesta Nationals Men’s Doubles winner.
+ Fenesta national men’s Singles runner-up.
+ ITF 25,000$ Doubles runner-up.
TENNIS PREMIERE LEAGUE (TPL) SRK RAJASTHAN TIGERS HAS A NEW FEMALE BOSS
