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The Hindu
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
First time is always important: Maaya Rajeshwaran cherishes Wimbledon memories
For a developing tennis player, competing in junior Grand Slams is an important experience. Not only do they get to rub shoulders with the best upcoming talents from around the world, but it also provides the vantage point of the top seniors going through their routines before stepping onto the court and fighting for Majors, the ultimate prize in the sport. Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, a hard-working 16-year-old who hails from Coimbatore, has had the opportunity to play at all three Juniors Slams this year so far - the Australian Open, the French Open, and most recently, Wimbledon. While the first two are played on surfaces she's familiar with - hard and clay, respectively - the lead-up to the grass Major was different. Maaya has been training at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, since February. However, the academy doesn't have a grass court. Fresh off her title-winning run on clay at a J200 event in Germany in June, Maaya had to quickly adjust to a surface she had never played on. 'When I went there, I felt like I was playing in a garden. It didn't feel like I was playing on a tennis court,' says Maaya, remembering her first grasscourt experience in Roehampton, where she played a J300 tune-up event a week after Germany. Junior Wimbledon qualifiers took place at the same venue. The Indian, currently World No. 55, has been making steady progress in terms of rankings and is very close to the point where she can directly qualify for the main draw at Junior Slams. At Wimbledon, she was the top seed in the qualifiers. After a massive come-from-behind win over China's Shiyu Ye, Maaya went down to Spain's Eugenia Zozaya Menendez in the match tiebreak in the final round. It was still an improvement, as in Melbourne, she didn't even get past the first hurdle in qualifiers. In Paris, she may have had a better chance, but visa issues meant that she reached the venue barely four hours before her match and suffered another first-round defeat at the same stage. 'Roland Garros was a disaster. I had to fly from India because of visa problems. I couldn't practice in Mumbai because of rainfall. I couldn't even play the pre-event. A few problems here and there, but yes, at every tournament, there's a lesson learned,' says Maaya, summing up her Paris experience. Wimbledon wasn't just a bit better for her in terms of her own matches. There were other benefits too. 'When I went into Wimbledon Park, they have an area where the pros and the juniors warm up together. I didn't hit with anyone but almost saw all the professional players going through their routines,' recalls Maaya. ALSO READ: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen undergoes elbow surgery 'I saw a lot of matches. There was one player from the academy, an Argentinian (Solana Sierra) I trained with, who got into the main draw as a lucky loser and made the fourth round in the senior draw. 'Wimbledon was a very good experience, and it gave me lots of memories that I will carry for a lifetime because the first time is always important. Earlier, I thought I wouldn't be a good player on grass. But, overall, a few corrections here and there, and I should be good.' While her focus shifts towards preparing for the Junior US Open, Maaya is aware of two big opportunities which may arise in the near future. The country is set to host the WTA 250 Chennai Open, its first-ever Tour-level women's event in three years, from October 27 to November 2. On the sidelines of a recent press conference, Tamil Nadu Tennis Association President and Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj hinted that the teenager might be awarded a main-draw wildcard. If it does happen, it would be tough to question the decision, courtesy of Maaya's stunning run as a qualifier at the WTA 125 Mumbai Open earlier this year. Not only did she become the youngest Indian to earn a WTA point, but she also went on to defeat multiple seasoned players before her loss in the semifinals. 'I hope that I get a wildcard. It's in Chennai. It's my home state. If I get a wildcard, it's the best reason for me to come back home as well. Playing in front of the Indian crowd is very exciting because I've done well in the past, and they give me a lot of support,' says Maaya. Maaya was also a reserve member when the Indian team won the regional competition in Pune in April to qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup Playoffs for only the second time in history. The playoffs, in which India faces the Netherlands and Slovenia, are going to be held at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru from November 14 to 16, and captain Vishal Uppal might be tempted to include the talented teenager in the main squad. Related Topics Maaya Rajeshwaran
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Maaya wins her first ITF Junior tennis title on European clay
Pune: It might be just another title in the junior tennis circuit, but for Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, the trophy in the Grade 2 ITF event in Gladbeck, Germany, on Saturday was quite significant. The 16-year-old from Coimbatore, who set the courts on fire in the WTA 125 Mumbai Open by reaching the semifinals as an unranked, wildcard qualifier in February, defeated Switzerland's Noella Manta 6-2, 6-4 to capture her seventh title in the juniors. For once, the title was her first on European clay, a rare achievement for an Indian. She also finished runner-up in doubles in the company of Australian Koharu Nishikawa. Then, there is the context: It was her first week in action after the first-round loss in the qualifying of the French Open junior championships. "It definitely does matter to me a lot, because it's my first title in Europe as well (besides being on clay)," Maaya said after her win. "And I've been training on clay for the last one month, non-stop. I mean, with visa delays and all of that, I couldn't perform that well in the French even though I prepared very well," she said, referring to reaching Paris only hours before her match at Roland Garros. "But I'm happy to win the title on clay because I think there were so many people who were putting in the effort for me to train well on clay. I think that showed up. Yeah, I'm very happy that I had an opportunity to show that it worked." Maaya had won a Grade 1 junior event in January in New Delhi. So how would she rate her Grade 2 win in Europe? "It has been a while since I competed well in the first place. I think the last tournament that I played well was in Malaysia, probably a couple of months ago," she said. "So, for me, this is the last tournament on clay (this season), and it's a very positive finish to the clay season and to go on (to) grass. That is one thing. "And in India, I think over every tournament, my level was improving a little bit. Every match has been a learning, so I've been gradually climbing up the ladder. I think that's a very positive sign." Maaya trains at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca. The association began as an ad-hoc arrangement sometime in the middle of last year and a deal was officially signed in November. "The more I train with professional players, the more I'm surrounded by professional people, I'm learning to be a bit more professional," she said. "I think one of the main things is that you get really motivated. For example, I see a tennis match, a Grand Slam final, I'm like, I'm gonna go tomorrow and smack the ball. But you see a positive example in front of you every single day, that really motivates you. I think that motivation is very important, and I'm happy that I'm getting it." Maaya has trained outside India at various places earlier but Mallorca feels different in an ironic way. "This is a bit different because I haven't stayed at a place for a very long time outside India. And I'm studying here as well. So this feels a bit more like home now. I am kind of used to the place." Home but without friends. Constant travel to tournaments means she is not missed much by her school-mates. "Half of the school doesn't even know me. I'm hardly here. They know my name, but they don't know me in person." In keeping with the harsh realities of the sport, Maaya won't have time to celebrate her win either. "No, I have to, like rest, get back to training on Monday, because I have to go to London on Tuesday," where she is scheduled to play her next (Grade 1 junior) tournament in Roehampton. "I've never played on grass before, so it will be the first time for me." Knowing her ability to adapt to tough conditions, one can be sure Maaya will be slicing and volleying her way to more success.
India Today
30-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
French Open: India's Maaya Rajeshwaran crashes out of Roland Garros qualifiers
Maaya Rajeshwaran made a heartbreaking exit from the French Open after failing to go past the qualifying rounds of the girls singles. On Thursday, May 29, the 15-year-old lost to Great Britain's Brooke Black in straight sets. Black won the match 6-2, 6-3 and will next be up against Australia's Tahlia Kokkinis, who defeated France's Emma Fulvia Wiensfeld 6-2, 6-2 in the opening had troubles with her visa, which was earlier delayed due to the procedures despite her submitting all the documents. She reached the venue hours before the match and would now have to return empty-handed. Maaya also took part in the Australian Open girls singles last year when she lost to Sonja this year, Maaya became the youngest player to break into the top 700 of the current WTA rankings after she advanced to the semifinals of the Mumbai Open. The youngster trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca. In other results in the ongoing French Open, Manas Dhamne went through to the second round of the boy's singles after beating Romania's Alejandro Mateo Berge Nourescu 6-2, 6-2. Manas will look for a berth in the main draw when he faces Kazakhstan's Damir Zhalgasbay. advertisementRethin Pranav Senthil Kumar failed to go through to the second round after the Netherlands' Hidde Schoenmakers beat him 6-4, 6-4. Schoenmakers will next lock horns with Australia's Cruz Hewitt, son of the legendary Lleyton Hewitt. Hitesh Chauhan defeated Italy's Gabriele Crivellaro 6-3, 6-0 in the first round. Chauhan will next lock horns with Brazil's Victor Cunha Winheski de Lima in the second round. Must Watch
