From Maaya to Raina: Indian women’s tennis takes a step forward

Mumbai: On centre margaret court at the Balewadi lawn tennis sports stadium in Pune, Vaidehi Chaudhari and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty played a few exercise points. Slow them, Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and Sahaja Yamalapalli collected stray tennis balls and passed it back to them. After a few points, the quartet rotated. Meanwhile on the sidelines, Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare began their warmup routines.

All dressed in identical blue t-shirts and matching stony expressions, assembled in Pune was this relatively inexperienced group of Indian women tennis players for the Billie Jean King Cup. In a sport known for its individuality, they were prizing those moments together and were looking to do whatever they could to help each other. Together, they carry a heavy weight of expectation.

For years, the Indian women’s team has struggled to stitch together the wins needed to get to a stage above the Asia/Oceania Group 1 category in a competition dubbed the World Cup of tennis. The furthest they have gotten was playing in the playoffs in 2021.

In Pune, however, the team present may not have a lot of experience of playing for the country, but it is a squad brimming with talent. This week they have a chance to make the playoffs again, but team captain Vishal Uppal has given the squad a bigger target.

“We’re not just trying to qualify for the playoffs, we’re also trying to make a statement that women’s tennis is on the rise in India,” he said to HT. “And that Indian women’s tennis has to be looked at more seriously. That is the larger goal, making that statement.”

Starting from April 8, India will compete in best-of-three match ties against New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand in a round robin format with the top two teams moving into the playoffs. India has home advantage this week.

And with Asian powerhouses China and Japan not competing (both teams are playing in upper tiers of the event), this is a good opportunity for the hosts to take a step up the ladder.

In Ankita Raina, the world No.304 and India No.1, the team has its most experienced member. Raina, now 32, is the only surviving member of the Class of 2021. A singles bronze medallist at the 2018 Asian Games, she is a grinder who never shies away from a slugfest.

The second oldest player in the team is doubles specialist Prarthana Thombare, 30, who had competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and recently reached the final of the WTA125 event in Mumbai.

Then there is the younger guard.

In 24-year-old Sahaja and Shrivalli (a year younger), the team has two players who hit hard from the baseline, move well and play an aggressive brand of tennis. So too does Chaudhari, the two-time national champion. Waiting in the wings is 15-year-old Maaya, who stunned the field by reaching the semi-final in Mumbai – that too as an unranked player. A student at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, the teenager from Tamil Nadu packs a punch with practiced bravado.

Individually, the players have taken contrasting journeys, but together they give India a previously unseen depth in singles.

“I’m pretty confident in this group,” Uppal said. “We have a lot more options and depth in singles, which wasn’t the case in the past. It’s tough to compare the different squads, but this is a good combination of youth and experience. The youth has to really show that they are hungry and they belong at this level.”

Uppal, a former Davis Cup player for India, claimed his only worry is the consistency of the players.

“It’s a question of us preparing well and executing our plans on the day,” he added. “I’d love to see a lot more consistency in the performance. They have shown that they can step up.”

On Tuesday, they will have their game faces on, as they take on New Zealand in their first tie in their pursuit of the playoffs.

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