New Delhi: India has two youngsters showcasing their talent in Europe at two renowned tennis academies. She is 18 years old. Manas Dhamane at Petty Tennis Academywho, among others, made Janak a sinner. At the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, 16-year-old Maya Rajeswaran Revathi hopes to pave her way to future success.Once enjoying playing on slow hard courts, Revathi has also started embracing clay. She has already played seven tournaments on red dirt this season, including two semifinals and a J300 title in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.She will continue to put these teachings to the test in junior. French Open From May 31 in Paris“I think when the physical part develops, I think you’d love to play on clay. In general. Due to the fact that I’m based in Europe, I’ve been training on clay a bit more than earlier in my career. I feel the more I train at a particular level, the more I feel I relate to that level,” said ITF 27th-ranked Maya in a virtual chat provided by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).“Honestly, I don’t mind playing at any level. Because as long as I step on the court and I’m ready to compete and I’m there to compete, I think I’m happy to play at any level. And the fact that I’ve had the experience that I’ve had playing multiple tournaments in multiple places over the last year, at multiple levels, I think it’s just that you want to keep playing on the court,”When she steps onto the court in the French capital, it will be her fifth appearance at a junior major. Her best performance came at last year’s US Open, where she reached the second round.These are small steps before the 16-year-old from Coimbatore takes a big leap towards the senior circuit. However, it remains a delicate balance between exposure and development. There were signs of potential earlier in the year when she reached the semi-finals of the Mumbai Open WTA 125.
Maya Rajeswaran in the junior event at Beaulieu-sur-Mer. (Instagram)
“At the beginning of the year our thought was that Maia would play more matches, compete more and get comfortable with her game. He has a great game. So, we want him to build on that and gain that confidence in matches,” explained coach Polina Radiva, who travels with the Indian youngster for the tournament.“We started with junior events in Australia, then he played a couple of ITF events in India. And our idea was to stick with the junior tour and see how it goes. Because if you finish with a good ranking in juniors, then the next year, you have a good start. You get some direct entries into professional events. This is our goal. That’s one of the reasons why we’re doing so many junior events.”“The ultimate goal is to transition to the Pro Tour. A tennis player’s life is unpredictable. Sometimes we cancel events and go back to training,” continued Radiva, the player-turned-coach.‘Focus on what I have to do’
File photo of Indian tennis player Maya Rajeswaran Revathi. (Instagram)
Like Dhamane, Revathi also has a clarity of thought beyond her years. She joins the likes of fellow teenagers Iva Jovic, Lilli Tagger, Alina Corneeva, and Emerson Jones to find her way into the top 150 WTA rankings. Instead, the focus remains firmly on the self.“I think we’re moving into a very competitive environment that right now I’m just focusing on what I have to do and what I’m going to feel good on the court when I’m competing and whatever works for me. I think it’s just on me and figuring out how I want to be on the court more than copying somebody else,” she said.
