By Grand Slam

NEW DELHI, October 5 (www.dsclopentennis.com) - Nitin Kirtane is a professional in the true sense, even though some may think he's ugly when he plays tennis. Well, let's not bother about beauty and ugliness, since the same used to be said even about Brad Gilbert - who titled his one-off book as Winning Ugly!

Suffice to say Gilbert was a player with great spirit and was loathed by players like John McEneroe. Well, as coach, Gilbert's pay packet today is perhaps much better than it was in his playing days and his current crop of champions include Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.

Well, it may be too early to bracket Nitin in the Gilbert category, but the fact is this Pune left-hander is now playing tennis with less pressure on him and making sure he doesn't lose so easily. Watching him take Delhi's Gurmehar Singh apart at the DLTA court, it was clear Nitin still has the guile in him.

He knew that to beat someone as strong as Gurmehar, he needed to have a plan and not attempt power play. Yet, when you take age as a factor, Gurmehar should win matches like these. On a day when Nitin was actually trying to find rhythm slowly, Gurmehar could have gone flat out.

That was easier said than done as Gurmehar showed he still has to lot to learn when it comes to handling pressure which was best exemplified by the sitter of a volley he buried into the net on match point.

Nitin knows that he is not going to get into the Davis Cup squad again. But, then, if cousin Sandeep Kirtane can be coach of the junior Davis Cup squad, why shouldn't he fancy his chances for a few trips abroad.

After all, as an analyst, Nitin is very sharp. And in tennis, where mind games matter a lot, it would be of help to have someone like Nitin around for a while. If nothing, he will surely be able to impart lessons on what it takes to psyche an opponent out.

Right now, Nitin is enjoying life-- as a playing pro, coach and a newly wed. He couldn't have asked for more.