It is not for nothing that six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza makes it a point to spend time with the young talent Dandu Laxmi Siri at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy (SMTA), like she did on Sunday.
Laxmi Siri has moved one step closer to becoming India’s No. 1 in the under-18 category, a pretty impressive feat given the kind of challenges off the court and on it these players face.
“You have the guts needed to be a pro. But, you need to put in a lot of effort to make it really big,” was Sania’s advice to the City girl dreaming big in the world of tennis.
“I was ranked around 20 when I joined the SMTA two years ago. I can feel the difference in my game, attitude,, and the results obviously. The way Imran Sir (Sania’s father) and Sania ma’am show so much interest in me becoming a better tennis player is really a huge motivating factor,” Laxmi Siri told Sportstar.
Importantly, this young girl is backing her talent with consistent performances like winning the under-18 double in the ITF J-30 championship in Lucknow, winning a doubles title in the ITF J-30 event in Bhubaneshwar recently, and even winning the AITA Women’s Rs 1 lakh prize money event in Hyderabad a couple of months back.
“Sania ma’am did give me a few tips and I am really working hard on them. I am conscious of the crucial transition phase from the under-18 age group to the seniors and the kind of challenges I have to face,” Laxmi Siri said.
For his part, Imran Mirza said his trainee is a hard-working player with the potential to make it big. “Her growth and performances in tournaments have been encouraging since she joined SMTA,” he said.
Tennis player D. Laxmi Siri, India’s No. 2 in the under-18 category, with her rich collection of trophies. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“I have high expectations from her, provided she stays focused and continues to imbibe and improve on the critical nuances of the game that can propel her onto the professional stage,” Imran said.
“Frankly, I feel that my backhand and the groundstrokes are my strength. Definitely looking for an overall improvement with emphasis on fitness,” she said.
For someone who dabbled into tennis for the first time in 2015 thanks to her father D. Mahesh Reddy’s initiative and support, Laxmi Siri, who passed out the 11th standard in Open School, is obviously concerned about the financial support.
“My father comes from a farmer’s family, and we are managing on our own all the expenses, badly looking for sponsors for sure, even though I am going to play in the Zimbabwe circuit featuring on ITF J-60 and two ITF J-100 events,” she said.
“My immediate goal is to be India No. 1 in the under-18 category (currently Maya Rajeshwaran of Tamil Nadu is No.1) and obviously dreaming big to play in a Grand Slam as early as possible,” signed off a determined Laxmi Siri.
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