Karnataka’s tennis talent Harshini making steady strides

At
the
EMMTC
Tennis
complex
in
Aurangabad,
the
13-year-old,
who
was
not
seeded
in
the
tournament,
stunned
Odisha’s
second-seed
Sohani
Mohanty
3-6,
6-2,
6-4
en
route
to
clinching
her
maiden
national
singles
title.

It
was
almost
a
double
delight
for
the
Bengaluru-based
girl,
who
along
with
Snigdha
Kanta
finished
as
runners-up
in
the
doubles
final
where
they
went
down
2-6,
7-6
(7-5),
7-10
to
the
Telangana’s
Rishitha
Redd
and
Odisha’s
Sohani
pair.

Karnataka
also
had
more
to
cheer
when
Tanussh
Ghidlyal
did
a
double
in
the
boys
category.

“Karnataka
State
Lawn
Tennis
Association
(KSLTA)
congratulates
the
winners
of
the
recently
concluded
AITA
Nationals
U-14
at
Aurangabad.

It’s
a
proud
moment
to
Karnataka
tennis
as
both
boys
and
girls
singles
titles
were
clinched
by
the
state
players
Tanussh
Ghidlyal
and
Harshini
Nagraj
trainees
of
SOL
sports
and
Transform
Tennis
academy
respectively.
Tanussh
also
won
the
doubles
title
and
Harshini
was
the
runners
up.
We
wish
these
players,
all
the
best
for
new
season
2022,”
a
KSLTA
statement
said.

Karnataka
State
Lawn
Tennis
Associaction
congratulates
the
winners
of
the
recently
concluded
AITA
Nationals
U-14
at
Aurangabad.
It’s
a
proud
moment
to
karnataka
tennis
as
both
boys
and
girls
singles
titles
were
clinched
by
the
state
players
(1/2)

pic.twitter.com/42t83U5Nr1

—
Tennis
Karnataka
(@KarnatakaTennis)

December
26,
2021

Harshini,
the
Transform
Tennis
Academy
Graduate,
has
been
making
steady
strides
in
the
AITA
circuit
and
her
maiden
nationals
title
caps
a
dream
run
for
the
Grade
9
student
of
The
Brilliant
School
in
Kundalahalli,
whose
career
was
at
crossroads
one
stage
.

Initially
coached
by
her
father
Nagaraj,
Harshini’s
career
hit
a
bumpy
road
when
her
father
had
to
close
down
his
Globe
Tennis
Coaching
Academy
near
Marathahalli
in
the
wake
of
the
COVID-19
pandemic.

However,
realising
the
huge
potential
of
Harshini,
Nagaraj
decided
to
enroll
her
in
the
Transform
Tennis
Academy’s
Marathahalli
centre,
free
of
cost.

“Harshini
is
a
good
student
of
the
game
and
works
hard
on
a
daily
basis.
She
is
extremely
dedicated
and
consistent
with
her
actions
on
court.
She
has
great
skills
and
technique
for
a
player
of
her
age
and
is
trying
to
develop
her
game
to
compete
with
the
best,”
said
Kishore
Srinivasan,
Harshini’s
coach
at
Transform
Tennis
Academy.

Currently
ranked
No.
20
in
the
AITA
U-14
category,
Harshini
has
set
her
priorities
right.

“I
want
to
break
it
into
the
top
10
in
the
U-14
category.
That’s
my
first
target.
From
then
I’ll
take
it
one
by
one.
Now
that
I’ve
won
U-14
title,
U-16
should
be
next.
And
in
the
coming
years,
I
would
like
to
break
it
into
the
International
Tennis
Federation
(ITF)
rankings
system
as
well
as
the
AITA
senior
women’s
ranking,”
said
Harshini.

Harshini
first
showed
glimpses
of
here
talent
when
she
won
TS
3
mat
sports
event
in
the
U-14
age
group
in
2017.
And
from
then
on
it
has
been
a
gradual
climb
upway
the
ladder.

The
win
at
the
CS
7
event
in
Coimbatore
a
year
later
enhanced
her
credentials
further.

In
the
Mini
Olympics
held
in
Karnataka
in
2020
Harshini
won
three
gold
medals
(singles,
doubles
and
team)
and
in
April
this
year,
Harshini
won
the
doubles
event
in
the
KSLTA
event.

“Harshini
requires
a
lot
of
match
experience
and
organised
training
in
a
structured
way
to
help
her
scale
up
the
rankings,”
Kishore
added.

And
competing
in
tournaments
outside
the
state
and
travelling
is
taking
its
toll
on
the
humble
family
expects
who
is
expecting
some
kind
of
sponsorship
to
come
up
for
their
help.

“Funds
are
required
for
her
travel
as
she
is
keen
to
improve
her
ranking
aligned
with
her
future
plans.
Harshini
needs
right
level
of
equipment
required
to
compete
with
the
best
players
in
India.
And
to
help
her
achieve
success
in
tennis
as
well
as
supporting
education
in
her
career
plans
we
need
more
funds,”
said
Harshini’s
father
Nagaraj.

And
one
hope
it
comes
sooner
than
later
for
this
precocious
talent
from
Karnataka.