Croatia bound Raj Naganna has opponents in a spin
The tennis player is looking forward to his next challenge.
Raj Naganna (71) of Marburg is going to Croatia from September 12 to October 1 this year to play for Tennis South Africa in a super seniors tournament.
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It’s not as expensive as his trip to the USA last year, but he could do with a few Croatian Kuna to get there.
The way the currency is at the moment, one Kuna equals R2,14.
Raj, who is a member at Umtentweni Tennis Club, is the only one going from the South Coast and he reckons the team will do a lot better than last time around, where they struggled to adapt to the clay surfaces.
He is currently ranked number one in KwaZulu-Natal and two in South Africa, behind Dann Spengler of Beaufort West.
He’ll play singles, doubles and mixed in Croatia.
“I have improved a lot since last year thanks to practising with Dan Dimitriu,” he said.
“I’ve also changed my backhand grip to enable me to get more topspin.”
It took a while for him to get comfortable with it.
“A few flew off the edge of the racquet and out of the court,” he laughed.
He just kept at it and after six weeks had it working nicely.
In terms of his health, he’s pretty fit. His knee still gives a bit of a niggle now and then but it’s nothing serious.
“I just ignore the pain and play on,” he said.
He said the team, which also included Frank Briscoe and Louis van Loggerenberg, was more prepared with what the clay courts had to offer.
“We know we can look forward to longer rallies, a higher bounce of the ball and a court with very little impact on the knees,” he said.
Raj would like to become the number one player in the country in his age group one day.
But that’s not really what drives him.
“I simply love the game. I could play it seven days a week if possible.”
However, planting the ball in all corners of the court is not the only planting Raj does.
He is also passionate about tree planting… at the club and elsewhere.
“I’d like to encourage schools and whoever to plant trees. The more the better.”
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