Each time she tossed the ball to serve, Riya Bhatia noticed Christ the Redeemer, one of many seven wonders of the world, in Rio de Janeiro.
The 24-year-old Riya, the fourth greatest girl tennis participant within the nation behind Ankita Raina, Karman Thandi and Rutuja Bhosale, had a fruitful outing in Brazil, reaching the doubles closing and the singles semifinals, a commendable fare on the gradual crimson clay courts.
“It was a final minute choice to go to Brazil. I used to be already within the US, and the whole lot labored out properly. It was an incredible expertise enjoying in Rio, simply 25 minutes away from Christ the Redeemer statue”, recalled Riya, again residence in Delhi.
Ultimately, with the help of the Indian Embassy, Riya did handle to go to the marvel together with her doubles runner-up trophy.
It was a final minute choice for Riya to play doubles, with Maria Paulina Perez-Garcia of Colombia. In eight matches, in singles and doubles within the $25,000 occasion, Riya recalled that each one the opponents she confronted, she noticed them for the primary time.
“Being all on my own there, and determining methods to win matches and play an excellent degree of tennis actually helped my confidence”, she stated.
Having been ranked a career-best 338 in 2020, Riya is hungry to enhance her standing on the WTA laptop. A rank of 488 doesn't mirror the true high quality of her sport.
Did she not miss out on the 2 $25,000 occasions in Gurugram which Karman and Sahaja Yamalapalli received one after the opposite.
“Nicely, I acquired an opportunity to play the $100,000 tournaments in US on clay courts. It was a uncommon alternative to play greater tournaments and I did effectively by qualifying for the primary draw, successful in opposition to a high College participant of US on her residence and follow courts”, recalled Riya, ever keen to take up the larger problem.
Riya is trying ahead to competing within the WTA occasion in Chennai and is all charged as much as put together her greatest, engaged on her sport model and attempting to be sooner on court docket.
“It's a nice initiative by everybody to host the WTA in Chennai. Having larger degree tournaments at residence may be very useful and provides us nice publicity. It's wonderful to play in entrance of residence crowd”, she stated.
Employed with Indian Oil Company (IOC), Riya will get essentially the most help from her doting dad and mom, with Head and Nike providing racquets and attire.
