Fans lustily responded to his post-match bow, even after he lost to Spain's world number five Carlos Moya [Images] in Sunday's final.

It was Paradorn's fourth straight final in Madras, where tennis lovers treat him as their own.

Though the world number 27 is some way from being considered a potential Grand Slam winner, his role as the flag-bearer of Asian tennis makes him a hero throughout the region.

Paradorn, the first Asian to be ranked among the top 10 in the world when he was briefly placed ninth in 2003, feels it is his duty to be a mentor for emerging players from Asia.

"There aren't too many Asian players on the tour," he said. "So we always hang out together, practise together and exchange and give advice on what you should do.

"I always meet a lot of junior Asian players at the Slams. Whenever I have a chance to talk to them, I always do that."

Paradorn, 25, said he was only replicating the kind of support he got from older players such as Chinese-American Michael Chang and India's Leander Paes [Images].

He is happy that more players such as Lee Hyung-taik of Korea and Taipei's young Lu Yen Hsun, both in the top 100, are emerging in Asia.

"Now there are a couple more Asian players," said Paradorn, who will be the 27th seed at the Australian Open starting on Monday. "It is great Asia is coming up and doing well.

"Lee is the one who is playing really well. Lu is still only 21, so he has a lot of years to grow and put his game together."

DAVIS CUP

Asian men's tennis was largely confined to India until the early 1990s, particularly in the Davis Cup where the Indians reached the title round three times.

Ramanathan Krishnan twice reached Wimbledon semi-finals in the 1960s and Vijay Amritraj, world number 16 in the 1970s, still holds the Asian record of 16 ATP titles.

Paes, now 31, kept India in the Davis Cup world group until 1998. He was the first Asian to win an Olympic tennis bronze medal in 1996, going on to claim doubles Grand Slam titles with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi [Images] and to be ranked world doubles number one.

Asia's women have been a much bigger force on the tour.

Players such as Japan's [Images] Kimiko Date and Ai Sugiyama, Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn and Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia have already made their presence felt on the WTA tour.

China's Li Ting and Sun Tian Tian won the women's doubles gold at last year's Athens Olympics [Images], showing the rapid strides the 2008 Olympic hosts are making.

"In the 1990s, women in Asian tennis were really dominant. "The Japanese had nearly 10 in the top 100 and the Indonesians, they also were in the top 100," Paes said.

"Now with Paradorn leading us, the men are starting to take over a bit.

"We're lucky to have an ambassador in Paradorn and the way he musters up all of Asia, not just Thailand. He comes to Chennai and he is the darling of the crowd."

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Asian tennis officials feel the game needs special support to pick up further momentum.

"Asian tennis is improving, growing but it still has its areas of disadvantages," said Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) vice-president Anil Khanna.

Asia hosts seven ATP tournaments, including the year-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, besides a series of lower-level events.

The rapid economic growth of many Asian countries is also bringing more sponsors into the sport.

More International Tennis Federation (ITF) events are being added to help upcoming players, their total prize money reaching $1.77 million in 2004 compared to $1.05 million in 2001.

The 2002 Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, also showed the game had begun to spread, with seven different countries winning the seven gold medals on offer.

"Travelling in Asia, unlike Europe, is still an issue for players," Khanna said. "Without ATP points, you can't get entry into major events, where winning even one round can push your ranking significantly."

The Asian body wants the ATP and ITF to help by introducing tournaments in the continent exclusively for Asian players to help them log valuable ranking points.

"The ATF will be giving a formal proposal to the ATP," Khanna said.

"Even if the players reach a certain level, it will give an impetus and more countries will have a larger number of events."

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