Dream debut for Hyderabad’s tennis star Shrivalli at Billie Jean King Cup in Pune
Shrivalli ensured a winning start for India in the championship, getting the better of New Zealand’s Aishi Das, securing a 6-1, 6-1 victory on the opening day of the tournament
HYDERABAD: For the young tennis talent from the city, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, her dream debut in the Billie Jean King Cup in Pune on Monday was “surreal”.
The 23-year-old Shrivalli, ranked World No. 345 in the WTA singles, ensured a winning start for India in the championship, getting the better of New Zealand’s Aishi Das, securing a 6-1, 6-1 victory on the opening day of the tournament.
“It was really emotional playing my debut match for the country. I was a little emotional on the court, but then I think I handled myself well.
The team and the captain helped me a lot in that by cheering, and the crowd also backed us for every point. I think that’s what helped me pull through the match today,” the delighted tennis player said.
“I was just trying to focus on every point that I play and just try to give my best in every point, while just thinking of the country”, the former national champion said.
The emotional scenes when Shrivally hugged her teammates after the win, perhaps, reflected the immense joy and a sense of achievement for the gifted player.
“All of us being individual players, we’ve come to play as a team, and the amount that we’ve bonded in the past week has been really good and really exciting for all of us, and I’ve really loved the atmosphere here”, she said.
“We’ve been doing a lot of crazy stuff off the court, playing a lot of games and trying to understand each other. I think we’ve got a good blend of how everyone functions on the team, and we’ve been trying to be really chirpy, and I think that’s what helped us”, she mentioned,” she mentioned. Speaking on the team composition, Shrivalli said the seniors had been really helpful to them.
“They have been giving us insights into how they have been playing for the country in the past few years. They’ve been telling us what we have to do,” Shrivally said. “They’ve also been trying to keep us calm before the matches, and that’s been really helpful. Also, Maya being on the team adds an extra boost to us.”
