Tennis' Paradorn tries hand as a monk (AP) Updated: 2006-01-11 09:04
SYDNEY, Australia - Far removed from the world of overhead slams, whistling
crowds and jet travel, Paradorn Srichaphan turned to a simpler life: 4 a.m.
wake-ups and long hours of fasting and meditation.
Thailand's Paradorn
Srichaphan acknowledges the crowd after winning his first-round match
against the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek at the Sydney International
Tennis tournament January 10, 2006. Srichaphan defeated Stepanek 6-3 6-4.
[Reuters] | Asia's top tennis player spent time as
a Buddhist monk last month. He adopted the Buddhist name Mahaviro, meaning
"great and brave," for his seven days in a temple outside Bangkok. His head was
shaved in a traditional ceremony before donning the monk's saffron-colored
robes.
"It was pretty interesting for me that week, my time away from tennis," said
Paradorn, his hair still short. "It was a really calm week. Everything I have —
the phone, the family — I just cut it, left it behind, walked into the temple
and became a monk."
It is customary for Thai men to serve as a monk for at least one period in
their lives as a way of showing religious devotion.
Paradorn decided it was his time in December. He felt himself fading under
the pressure of public expectations after the highs of late 2002 and 2003, when
he reached a career-high No. 9 in the rankings. The 26-year-old player slipped
to No. 42 and failed to add to his five career titles in 2005.
On Tuesday, Paradorn beat seventh-seeded Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4 to reach the
second round of the Sydney International, the main tuneup for next week's
Australian Open. Paradorn next faces Ivo Karlovic of Croatia.
"It all started so quickly for me, in 2002, and it continued for 2 1/2 years,
then I started to drop my ranking," he said. "I'd been playing a lot of tennis,
plus there's always new players coming up."
"There was also a lot more expectations from home," he added. "There's always
more happening off the court that you have to think about that sometimes makes
you feel under pressure."
The strict daily regimen gave him new perspective.
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