It was a moment to cherish for this young tennis talent from the city. Sama Sathwika shared a platform with a legend like Martina Hingis, when the players assembled for the promotional event of the Hyderabad Aces ahead of the Champions Tennis League (CTL) matches to be held this weekend at L.B. Stadium.
For the 15-year-old Sathwika, ranked India junior no. 1, it would have been beyond imagination a few years ago even to think of meeting such great players. But, this youngster earned the right to be part of the Hyderabad Aces team in the Vijay Amritraj-floated CTL.
“This is a huge opportunity for me. You can learn so much by merely watching them practice. You get to know so many things,” the visibly delighted Hyderabadi said. “Yes, this is a dream come true. Being with someone like the great Hingis is something many youngsters can only confine to their dreams,” said Sathwika, who is a product of the NVK Tennis Academy at Madhapur where former Davis Cupper Vasudeva Reddy and S. Narendranath are the coaches.
“There was exactly no serious talk about my game with Hingis. But, her simple one-point advice appealed to me – play the way you love,” recalled Sathwika, who only last month won the Fenesta Nationals (under-18) girls doubles title partnering Shivani Ingle and finished runner-up in singles in Delhi.
For one who is also promoted by the GVK Foundation, Sathwika has had a slow and steady progress in the tennis circuit, She proudly recalled that her three-month stint at the Elite Tennis Academy in Barcelona in 2012 gave a new direction to her career. “After that, I am more confident and honestly I fear none, even though it doesn’t necessarily mean that I win every match,” she said with supreme confidence.
Significantly, Sathwika will not play for the Aces in the CTL but has the privilege to travel and train with the team as the whole idea of Vijay Amritraj is to give the best of India juniors a chance to share the rich experience with the tennis greats who will line up in the CTL.
“I am grateful to Amritraj Sir for giving me this huge opportunity,” she said, before joining the more illustrious teammates.
