‘Gotta Work on Staying Down’ – Rockets Legend Steve Francis Reveals Love for Tennis

Tennis is unquestionably one of the most-watched sports around the world. Every year, every tennis tournament witnesses thousands of spectators attending the event. However, apart from the general spectators, the ball-racquet game greatly possesses the ability to magnetize legends from other sports.

A similar incident took place at the Masters 1000 Miami Open. Attending day one of the Miami Open was none other than the legendary basketballer, Steve Francis. The 3-time NBA All-Star was in a white T-shirt, with a blue towel on his shoulder when he met Prakash Amritraj.

Prakash Amritraj meets Steve Francis

Prakash Amritraj is the son of Indian legend, Vijay Amritraj. A professional player himself, Prakash retired from the circuit at a young age, joining Tennis Channel. Working for years, the 38-year-old today is one of the most well-known presenters for the Tennis Channel. He runs his own show under the name ‘Prakash Worldwide’. In the show he travels to various cities around the world, covering a number of ATP and WTA events.

Doing his job, Prakash was recently in Miami, covering the Miami Open. Vlogging in and around the Hard Rock stadium, he bumped into Steve Francis. Having a fan-boy moment, Prakash took no time in indulging in a conversation with him. Introducing his favorite player to the world, Prakash said, “One of the great things about Miami is that you run into all kinds of legends. And man, this cat was one of my favorites to get on the basketball court.”

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During his marvelous career at the Houston Rockets, Steve was best known for his high jumps. Going by the stats, Steve was the player who had one of the highest jumps in the game during his time. Recalling his iconic jumps, Prakash asked Steve whether he still jumps that high in the air.

Attending the Miami Open, Steve opted to answer the question with a tennis reference, adding humor to it. Answering the question, Steve said, “I know last time I was trying to play tennis I tried to jump over the net. So, I gotta work on staying down while I’m practicing. You know, it’s all good.”

Curious about Steve’s current basketball status, Prakash further asked him if he still plays the game. To which, Steve replied, “Sometimes. You know, living in Houston, that’s what tennis is at everybody loves playing.”

Revisiting the tennis of Miami

The Miami Open was nothing less than a treat for the tennis community. However, the tournament was also a signal for the senior players to pull up their socks in order to match the young generation. In the men’s draw, 18-year-old Spaniard, Carlos Alcaraz, hit the hammer, winning his maiden Masters 1000 title.

The women’s draw seemed no different. With senior players being outplayed in the previous rounds, it was the 20-year-old Iga Swiatek who won the Miami crown. Furthermore, she also became the new World No. 1.

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