For the trio of young guns of Indian women’s tennis – Prarthana Thombare, Nidhi Chilumula and Sowjanya Bavisetti – the experience of sharing the same court with a legend like Martina Navratilova is something which they are not going to forget easily. When the tennis legend descended on the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy as part of the WTA promotional programme for tennis in Asia and played an exhibition match against Sania and her partner, it was a sight to behold for the young talent lined up on the sidelines of the magnificent tennis complex.
Fantastic feeling
“It was a fantastic feeling. Everyone knows she is a legend. She was so humble and nice of her to give some invaluable tips – for both singles and doubles players,” says the 20-year-old Nidhi, who was a member of the Indian Fed Cup led by Sania Mirza in Hyderabad recently. “The biggest point I think which the great Navratilova made was about pressure. She says pressure is a privilege. That really caught my imagination. I can tell you that this one-liner should change my attitude the next time I go on to the court. The great tennis player put it so simply and succinctly,” she points out.
For the 20-year-old Prarthana it was no different feeling seeing the great Navratilova from such close quarters for the first time. “Yes, there was no formal interaction with the legend. But watching her play for a few minutes and share a question-answer session with the kids was itself an unforgettable experience,” says the Asian Games bronze medallist in women’s doubles with Sania Mirza. “Navratilova’s tips on volleying, strokes and some basics are really helpful and worth putting to practice,” feels the India No. 2 player who joined SMTA recently. “
“If you ask me, when Navratilova was around at SMTA, it was not just one legend but two – our own Sania fresh from her Wimbledon doubles triumph. Who could have imagined two Grand Slam winners sharing their thoughts with us,” she remarks.
The tall and athletic Sowjanya, winner of three singles and five ITF doubles titles, also believes that this kind of exposure can usher in a huge change in terms of attitude and setting long-term goals for any youngster. “I remember when Navratilova played in the 2004 WTA event in Hyderabad, I was a ball girl and played a few rallies with her. Being a leftie myself, the legend has a special place for me,” the 21-year-old future hope says with a big smile.
“I loved the way she moved towards the net and played those volleys, her approach to the game is fascinating. look at her fitness even at 58. She looked good enough to beat us,” says Sowjanya. Even the hearing-impaired national player Shaik Jafreen is understandably overawed at this huge opportunity. “I will not forget this in my lifetime,” she exclaims.
