Sahaja Yamalapalli, a rising star in Indian tennis, has achieved a momentous milestone by becoming the third Indian woman to win an ITF Pro title. Her victory in the SoCal Pro Series in the United States marks a significant achievement in her young career.
Yamalapalli joins the ranks of Sania Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam winner, and Karman Thandi in this exclusive group. Reflecting on her victory, she stated, “I feel this win shows my evolution as a tennis player is on the right track.” She expressed her pride in joining such an elite group, acknowledging the inspiration she drew from Sania Mirza, who paved the way for countless young Indian women aspiring to excel in tennis.
The 23-year-old athlete from Khammam, Telangana, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Prahlad Kumar Jain, the owner of Kunal Pharma Distributors Pvt Ltd, for his unwavering support since she was 15 years old. Jain, a former tennis coach, has been a constant source of encouragement and guidance for Yamalapalli. “He is like God to me,” she shared.
This victory carries special significance for Sahaja, as she had previously struggled in US tournaments, often losing in the knockout phases. “This is one win I badly needed for I always had an impression that winning a title in the US was very tough having lost in the knock-out phase of quite a few tournaments here,” she admitted.
Winning an important title outside India holds immense value for Sahaja, serving as a powerful motivator. She believes this victory reflects her mental maturity, her ability to rise to crucial moments in matches, and her enhanced fitness level. “Perhaps, this also means that I am more mature mentally, adept at winning key moments in a match and have the desired fitness level too.”
Yamalapalli has also witnessed significant improvements in her game, particularly in her serve and forehand. “I feel there is a lot of improvement on my serve and forehand. With greater stability in my forehand, I am able to score the big points despite being aggressive and even under pressure,” she said.
While celebrating this triumph, Sahaja remains committed to continuous improvement. “I wish to keep doing the same things which fetched me this title even while looking for all-round improvement for no player can be complete in all aspects,” she stated.
Like many aspiring athletes, Sahaja faces the challenge of limited financial support. She is unable to have a parent accompany her on her journey, as she is the only daughter. “It is very tough to be alone. I would love to have one of them with me. For, it will greatly help me especially when I am going through tough times.”
However, she finds solace in the support of Tech Wave and Lakshya Sports Foundation, which have been covering a significant portion of her expenses on the tennis circuit.
Sahaja acknowledges the crucial role of a traveling coach in her continued development and believes now is the opportune time to secure a major sponsor to support her ambitions. “I sincerely feel that this is the right time to get a major sponsor to hire a travelling coach too which is so important if you were to keep improving in the rankings.”
With five upcoming tournaments lined up in the US from July 15, Sahaja is focused on maintaining consistency. Her ultimate goal is to secure a coveted spot in a Grand Slam championship. Having graduated from a US college in 2021, Sahaja has her sights set on achieving greater heights in the world of tennis.
