Defeated Devvarman looks on bright side

Somdev Devvarman was shown the exit door in the second round of the US Open on Thursday but the Indian preferred to look on the bright side of his experience at Flushing Meadows.

"It was my fourth slam attempt and the first one that I actually qualified for and that's a breakthrough in some ways," Devvarman told reporters after his 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 defeat by 23rd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

"Actually coming through winning a match and giving a good fight to Philipp," he said, continuing with his upbeat check list. "I had chances. He played better and came out and won today but I still know that I had chances and that is good.

"Just having that experience, and having these matches on my back now is something I can draw from when I play in the future. Hopefully I can use this experience to get better."

Devvarman, twice a US college singles champion at the University of Virginia, beat Frederico Gil of Portugal in the opening round to notch a first for India as he and Sania Mirza became the first man and woman to reach the second round at the same grand slam.

The 24-year-old Devvarman, who was runner-up in his hometown tournament in Chennai in January, hopes he can be part of a resurgence in Indian tennis.

"It's very important to me," he said. "I feel that I have a great opportunity right now coming from such a great country and such great sport traditions.

"There are a lot of sports enthusiasts and they want you to do well. Hopefully I can take all of that energy and try and make the best of it."

Devvarman, ranked 162, knows he has a long way to go.

"I'm trying to get better, trying to learn. It's my first season on the tour. It's a new place, it's different from college. I'm working hard and taking the right steps.

"You want to improve every single thing you do. Overall I'd like to get stronger, faster, hit the ball harder, serve bigger. Hopefully I'll be able to do all those things."

Mirza, battling back from a debilitating wrist injury, also lost her second-round match on Wednesday but Devvarman has faith in her tennis future, too.

"She's awesome," he said. "We've been friends since juniors. She's recovering from injury, but she's a great player. I'm sure she's going to bounce back. She's going to be great and is a great hope for India."

Photograph: Jay Mandal