Zeeshan Ali, to this day, is a household name for anyone who loves tennis or aspires to be a tennis player.
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Ever wondered what it must be like to represent India at a time when Olympic medals were only won in sports like hockey? Memories of the 1988 Seoul Olympics would still be fresh in anyone who has known Zeeshan Ali personally. Back in the day, it was the sheer thrill of participating in one of the most exuberant games. Zeeshan Ali, to this day, is a household name for anyone who loves tennis or aspires to be a tennis player.
“I still get goosebumps when I think about walking out into the roar of the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Seoul Olympics in 1988. I have played tennis for my country since I was 14, but nothing has come close to that feeling,” wrote Zeeshan Ali for a publication.
“When you are playing under your country’s flag there is a special kind of pressure. When that country is India, the fans expect you to perform wonders, no matter if you are ranked 126 in the world and you are playing the world No 1 – which has happened a few times,” he added.
At the end of 1988, Zeeshan’s doubles ranking was 154.
Zeeshan, in his time, was an ace player and for a larger period after 1988, remained in the top 130 (with the exception of a couple of weeks) until August 1989. As a singles player in 1988, his career highs included winning the Indian Satellite Circuit, making R2 of the ATP tour event in Schenectady (losing to Kriek in R2) and at the Seoul Olympics (where he lost to Hlasek in R2), making the finals of a Challenger in New Haven (losing to Vijay Amritraj) and the semifinal of a Challenger in Indonesia. Those setbacks at various events had taken Zeeshan to 178 rank in the singles rankings in November 1988. However, he came back stronger and dominated a Satellite circuit in Japan to finish the year as 126 in singles.
Continuing his tennis career, he made it to the third round of the Wimbledon in 1989 with Jonathan Canter (losing to the seeded pair of Curren and Pate in four sets). After that, he won two Challenger doubles titles (in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing). In 1988, he also made the second round of the Wimbledon doubles (with Mark Ferreira), two Challenger doubles finals (one with Mark). And four Challenger semi-finals (one of them with 37-year-old Anand Amritraj). Even in 1990, he won a Challenger doubles title (in Winnetka, IL) and made another Challenger doubles final (in Kenya), although playing a much lighter schedule. But after 1991, Zeeshan was mainly playing Challengers and Satellites in India and Asia. He won the Gold in the Asian Games in 1994 and the Bronze in 1990.
At the 2016 Olympics, when Zeeshan went with the Indian team as their captain, he said the draw plays an important role. Anyone who plays any sport, including tennis, would say the same. Draws are important. When he was with the 2016 contingent, the star-studded affair gave many Indians a lot of hope.
“When we know what the draws are like and which player will be playing, only then can we start working on strategy. It’s very difficult to plan anything now without knowing whom we are playing. Secondly, the players are not with us, so it’s difficult to coordinate. That’s why we are meeting on August 1, which gives us enough time to prepare before the matches start,” said the former Davis Cupper.
“On paper we definitely have a very good team, Sania is no.1 in the world, Rohan is playing mixed doubles with her is no.14 in the world, but I think a lot depends on the luck of the draw. Because there are so many other top rank players who are playing in all the events,” he said.
Before representing India at the Olympics, Zeeshan was ranked number 2 in the world and #1 in Asia in the Juniors in 1986. Zeeshan won a total of 14 ITF junior tournaments, reached the semi-finals of singles at Junior Wimbledon. Later, Zeeshan also reached the Juniors doubles finals at the US Open. Zeeshan stopped playing on the professional circuit in 1995 due to a back injury.
Zeeshan has won a total of 7 Indian men’s singles and 4 Doubles National Championships. He is, to this day, the youngest men’s national champion winner, having won the first National Championship at the age of 16.
Zeeshan is the current Davis Cup Coach of India and the Captain of the Indian Fed Cup team.
Zeeshan played Davis Cup for India from 1987 to 1994. He was a member of the Indian Davis Cup team that reached the Davis Cup Finals in 1987 and semi-finals in 1993.
“I do not play professionally any more but I am still part of the tennis scene. I hit with the girls on the WTA tour when they come to Dubai for the tennis championship. It is good for them because they know I understand the pressures of high-level competition and it is good for me because it keeps me in touch with everything that is going on with the circuits. I have hit with Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, Justine Henin, Ana Ivanovic, Jennifer Capriati and the Williams sisters, and I can tell you that the Williams sisters hit very, very hard.”
