She got the better of Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova who is ranked 186. Sahaja is ranked 414.
Published Date – 10:50 PM, Mon – 25 December 23
Hyderabad: For Hyderabad tennis player Sahaja Yamalapalli, winning her third ITF title is special for the fact that it has come after a gap of one and half years. The 23-year-old talented player won her second ITF title in July 2022.
Though she had an impressive run in between with runners-up finishes and victories over higher-ranked players, she failed to clinch the title. What makes it even more special is that she won the title defeating a top-200 ranked player in the final.
She got the better of Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova who is ranked 186. Sahaja is ranked 414. Thanks to the victory, the youngster will achieve her career-high rank of 340 when the new ranks are updated.
“The victory is special. I won the ITF title after a gap of one and half years. I played similar ranked players in the past and came close to winning but I never won against them. Now I got a win and a title. So it is special,” she said.
However, she revealed that she approached the match like any other. “I went into the final like any regular match and I wanted to give my best. The mindset was the same – keep it simple, go with a clear head and enjoy the challenge irrespective of who the opponent is. I wasn’t focused on the result.”
Sahaja came into the ITF tournament in Solapur after playing back-to-back Pro Tennis League and Tennis Premier League.
“I am happy that I was part of them. Playing this new format was a learning experience. All the top Indian players were there and watching them and playing with them was a good experience. I learnt a trick or two from them,” she added.
“The format helped me to stay in the present. In a format like that, every point is crucial. So we should be focused all the time and never give up. The leagues are also great for the sport. There were so many kids watching the sport. It also takes tennis to the grassroots,” she explained.
Looking for sponsors Speaking about her next target, Sahaja said that she wants to build on her career-high ranking and improve. “I am happy that I am finishing the year on a high with career-high ranking and with a title. I want to build on it. I want to play more WTA tournaments and the target is to play in Grand Slam qualifying matches.”
However, constant travelling to play abroad is challenging for her.
“Yes, travelling has been challenging given that it is very expensive. We will be travelling 40 weeks in a year since we don’t have year-long tournaments in India. I don’t have sponsors and that makes it tough. We don’t earn a lot at this point of career. My dad and his friends helped me with the funds. They raised funds on crowd-funding platforms. That’s how I go to play tournaments,” she revealed.
“Hopefully I can find some company or someone who can fund me. Then I cannot think about money and focus on games. It is very tough. We have been trying for sponsorship. Hopefully this title will help me find a few sponsors,” she concluded.
