VIJAYAWADA: In soft tennis, the lightweight, air‑filled ball moves differently from the one used in regular tennis. The racket is smaller, the bounce is lower, and brute force alone cannot win points.
Matches are built patiently—through movement, slices and carefully chosen placement—until an opponent is drawn out of position and the winning shot becomes possible.
For teenagers Vaishaali and Vedanshu from Vijayawada, the sport opened a new world. Both represented India at the 2nd Asian Junior Soft Tennis Championship in Ludhiana in February. Vaishaali returned with gold in Individual Doubles, while Vedanshu won bronze in the Boys’ U‑15 Individual Doubles.
Vaishaali discovered soft tennis after years of playing regular tennis. She took up the sport in 2023 and quickly adapted to its rhythm—the speed, the movement and the thought behind constructing points. “I like soft tennis better than tennis,” she said.
Her medal record grew rapidly. At the 19th Sub‑Junior National Soft Tennis Championship, she won gold in the Mixed Team event and silver in Individual Mixed Doubles. She also collected medals at the Khelo ASMITA Nationals, the National School Games and several State‑level tournaments.
Yet the Ludhiana gold carried special meaning. This time, she had competed wearing India’s colours. Her parents encouraged her to balance sport and studies. “They never told me to stop sports for my studies. They encouraged me to do both,” Vaishaali said.
Vedanshu’s path was different. As a child, his boundless energy led his parents to gymnastics under coach Anjana Devi. Gymnastics gave him a sporting foundation, but the pandemic halted training. He then moved to tennis, guided by coach Shivaram Krishna. Watching senior players on the soft tennis court, he became fascinated.
“I was very fascinated by the fast‑paced game. I wanted to play it, but I wasn’t at the level to play right then,” he recalled.
He began competing in 2024. At his first tournament, he lost in the singles quarterfinals, and his NTR district team finished fourth.
For many, fourth place might have ended the excitement. For Vedanshu, it became motivation. “It was the first time we ever played there. We were not that disappointed, but we wanted to go forward and win more medals for my State and my district,” he said.
The medals soon followed. At the 19th Sub‑Junior Nationals, he won silver in Individual Mixed Doubles and gold in the Mixed Team event, earning Indian team selection. In Ludhiana, he claimed bronze in Individual Doubles. What he liked most was the thinking behind every point.
“You can’t hit the ball very hard. You have to rely on slices; you have to rely on where you have to place the ball,” he explained. Challenges extended beyond the court. Soft tennis equipment was not easily available. Vedanshu credited his coach, Naveen Daram, with ensuring opportunities—approaching sports authorities for court time, arranging equipment and organising coaching camps.
His father recalled the journey from gymnastics to tennis and then soft tennis, praising the coaches who helped along the way. But he gave the most credit to his wife, Shaileja. “It is my wife Shaileja who gave her all for his progress,” he said, with tears in his eyes. She spoke proudly of her son’s determination. “He has always been the kind who managed his studies and sports. That determination, with the help of his coaches, has made him reach where he is today,” she said.
The family even debated whether Vedanshu should travel for the Asian championship, given its clash with his Class 10 examinations. He insisted he could manage both. He went to Punjab, returned with an international bronze and passed his board exams with flying colours.
For both Vaishaali and Vedanshu, soft tennis became more than a sport. It was a test of patience, discipline and resilience. They found coaches willing to invest in them, families who supported them and, eventually, the chance to stand on an international podium.
Their medals from Ludhiana are the brightest part of the journey so far. Yet the more inspiring story lies in how they got there—through persistence, balance and belief that sport and studies can go hand in hand.