BANGALORE: Young Arjun Sriram partnered with Sandesh Kantimahanti to win the Under-12 doubles title in the Babolat 8th Ramesh Desai Tennis National Championship organised by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association. The duo representing Karnataka beat Aryaan Bhatia (Maharashtra) and Denim Yadav (Madhya Pradhesh) with a difference of 7-5, 6-4 in the finals.
The recent success was no flash in the pan for Arjun. He is No. 1 in the boys Under-12 category in the state and No. 11 at the national level. He represented Karnataka in the inter-state championship in the Under-12 category last year too.
Arjun also triumphed in the singles and doubles categories in the Karnataka Tennis Players’ Parents Association (KATPPA) tournament in February this year and has already won three Under-12 Talent Series tournaments. As a 10-year-old, he won the state ranking tennis tournament held in May 2012.
Apart from tennis, Arjun is interested in other sports as well. He won the bronze medal in the 4 X 100m relay in every sports meet held in his school for two years. He also bagged gold and silver medals in the Fourth All India All-style Martial Arts Open Championship.
But from the age of 11, Arjun began focusing on tennis. His passion for the sport started developing since the first time he stepped onto a court in 2006. His die-hard attitude off court helps him perform well. He is relentless in chasing his goal of making a mark for himself in tennis.
“Arjun is a trainee that every coach wishes to have. He has the right attitude and is smart and hard-working. He is an avid learner of theory and is always keen to try out new-found knowledge. He gives his 100 per cent on crucial matches, which is the trademark of a good tennis player."
"He pushes himself hard, which is why he has a shot at winning. There has never been a time when parents or coaches haven’t spoken a few good words about him after seeing him in action. He is a coach’s delight, to put it in a nutshell. Arjun is heading in the right direction and has it in him to make to the top,” says coach Rajini Ravi, who trains him at Tennis And More Sporting (TAMS) in Whitefield.
With Sandesh to partner him in doubles, Arjun’s parents will have to make room in their showcase for more trophies to come.