Wimbledon 2023: Hindi Commentary Brings Tennis to a Wider Indian Audience

Wimbledon 2023: Hindi Commentary Adds a New Flavor to the Grand Slam

As tennis fans worldwide eagerly await the live telecast of the Women's and Men's Wimbledon championship matches on July 13 and 14, Indian viewers are set to savor the action on Centre Court in their native Hindi language.

Star Sports Network has partnered with the All India English Club to introduce Hindi commentary on its Star Sports 1 Hindi channel, marking a significant milestone in the accessibility of tennis in India. The live broadcast, featuring former Davis Cup player and current national and Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali, sports commentator Raman Bhanot, and host Suren Sundaram, has brought the matches alive for Hindi-speaking tennis enthusiasts.

While a 30-minute show by Raman and Suren continues to air the highlights on the channel daily at 10 am, live commentary for the matches was initially slated for only two days (July 1 and 2). However, buoyed by the overwhelming response, the Network has extended the commentary for the finale.

"Commentating in Hindi was a different but enjoyable experience," said Zeeshan, who had previously commentated in English for Star Sports on Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015. "Having a chat with the production team about what was needed for the broadcast made it easier too."

The matches covered by the team included the single matches between India's Sumit Nagal and Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic, Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) versus Dusam Lajovic (Serbia), and Carlos Alcaraz versus Mark Lajal.

Although the technical terminology remains unchanged, the commentary in colloquial Hindi makes it easy to understand. "Like in cricket, tennis too has words specific to the game that cannot be changed irrespective of the language we speak," said Zeeshan, giving examples of terms such as forehand, backhand, overhead, volley, and serve.

Raman Bhanot emphasized the importance of building content for Hindi viewers. "People who follow tennis and listen to English commentary know the backstory behind certain events. But Hindi commentators need to build in the content for Hindi viewers and explain the story behind their funny exchange."

Conciseness and brevity are crucial in tennis commentary. Commentators must let the match play on and avoid talking while the rally is in progress. They should speak succinctly the moment a point is over, as the chair umpire might announce the score or faults.

"Hindi commentary is a welcome move that helps the game; it takes the sport to more people, cutting across language barriers," said Zeeshan.

As you watch your favorite tennis star make their opponent run end to end on the baseline and follow it up with a drop shot, you might hear Raman say, 'Pura court napwaya diya' (He made him run all over the court)!

Tags: #Wimbledon2023, #HindiCommentary, #TennisInIndia, #ZeeshanAli, #RamanBhanot