Sahaja Yamalapalli steps into the professional tour, after a brilliant season in the American Collegiate circuit.
The 20-year-old Sahaja, who graduated from Sam Houston State University in Texas last week, with Food Science and Nutrition as the main subject, did not drop a set the whole season, winning 18 singles matches on the trot, at the No.1 position.
“It has been a wonderful experience winning all those matches. It gives me confidence to transition into the pro tour. I never felt any pressure because, I always think that every day is a new day to play tennis and no records will help me win unless I am mentally and physically 100% present that day on the tennis court,” said Sahaja, with admirable clarity.
She was awarded the Tennis Student-Athlete of the Year this season and in 2018 and 2019 for excelling in both academics and sports.
READ: Sahaja Yamalapalli makes impressive progress in US
Sahaja spent the last four years juggling her work as a part-time tutor and stringing racquets for the whole team. She also worked as a tennis trainer in various camps organised in the U.S. by different foundations and companies.
“I have already started training. I want to train for a month continuously. I will make a schedule of tournaments to play. The first step is to find tournaments that I can get in, and the second step is to find the sponsorship to travel there’’, said Sahaja.
Her mother Bhavani Kumar is a teacher in Hyderabad. “I am well prepared to start playing the pro tournaments with my present game level. I am looking forward to training at a professional academy, to compete better, if I get financial support’’, she said.
If she continues to shine on the pro tour, as she has done so far in the American Collegiate circuit, Sahaja is bound to be noticed and gain support.
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