In cricket, they say spinners mature with age. It could be true with Rohan Bopanna as a tennis player. The gangling 27-year-old, with a serve to make even the best in the business wince – ask Roger Federer – took another step closer to the top guns with a string of good performances in the Challengers in recent months.

The Karnataka ace, nicknamed 'Bofors' for his thunderbolt serves, won his first Challenger, a rung below the ATP tour events, three months ago in Dublin. That changed everything for the player from Coorg. Though his singles success ended after that, Bopanna, joining hands with his old partner Aisam-ul-Haq-Qureshi, won an amazing four titles on the trot from July to August to announce his arrival on the big stage.

What has been the key for his turnaround in fortunes? "I started believing more in myself," Bopanna said in Mumbai after a warm-up session ahead of his first round singles match against Nicolas Devilder in the Kingfisher Airlines Open on Tuesday. "It all boils down to confidence. Especially, the singles victory in Dublin gave me a big boost. Winning a lot of matches has definitely changed all that," the world No 244 noted.

Long haul
Also, the long haul on the road has been another factor for his successful run. "I have travelled four months now. I think I have never travelled so long before. That obviously helped," Bopanna admitted. "Besides, when you are winning you tend to cash in."

After his doubles successes, Bopanna feels he can be a serious threat in singles now. "Game wise, I can do it. But keeping fit is the main thing. You know the game is there, I just have to believe in myself more and take it further. That's what I'm looking forward to now. I qualified in Beijing, but unfortunately hurt my rib there.

"Moreover, I'm playing singles every week and definitely not concentrating only on doubles. I like doubles also, I enjoy playing it. But I'm definitely going to continue playing singles and see how it goes."

Last year, in Halle, Germany, Bopanna got the opportunity of his life to show the tennis world his repertoire. Pitted against none other than world No 1 Federer in the first round, Bopanna matched the Swiss ace shot for shot in the first set. Though a trifle nervous, the 27-year-old opened out by serving big and showcasing his solid ground strokes, especially his single-handed backhand.

The biggest plus in that defeat for Bopanna was the realisation that he had it in him to compete with the best. "Obviously, it is a dream playing someone like him. Federer is probably the best ever. But I also learnt after that match that my game is definitely there, it just needs to be worked on," Bopanna observed.

Lack of sponsors
For that, Bopanna would need somebody traveling with him full time. "I'm thinking of hiring a trainer or somebody to travel with me," he pointed out. "But it depends on the sponsors coming in and helping. That is what is holding me back," he quickly added.

The highest-ranked Indian in singles, considered one of the slowest movers on court, is aware that staying fit is the mantra for success. "I have to work a little bit more on my fitness. As long as I'm fit, I think I can definitely take my singles to another level," he said matter-of-factly.

But most of his successes this year has been in doubles with old partner from across the border, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi. "We played for the first time in 2003 and won a Challenger together. After that I was injured and we were also not playing the same tournaments together. In England, since our rankings were high enough to get in, we decided to play with each other," Bopanna said. "We gel so much well together on and off the court. That makes a big difference.”