HYDERABAD: Yadlapalli Pranjala has every reason to be happy. The 15-year-old became the first Indian girl to achieve combined world No 19 ranking in the ITF juniors’ circuit. More importantly, she has also got a direct entry to the main draw in junior girls category in Wimbledon.
“It is a dream come to true to play at Wimbledon as I have limited opportunities to play on grass. I played only once on grass at under-14 Asian Ranking tournament and I won it,” says Pranjala.
The young talent is gearing up for the tournament. “The ball stays low on a grass court. For Wimbledon, I have been working on my drop shots and strokes. I have learnt to adjust to playing in different conditions,” she adds.
Being part of the International Tennis Federation (lTF)/Grand Slam Development Fund (GSDF) touring team which will compete a series of junior tournaments in Europe, Pranjala will get the opportunity to play two weeks on grass before the Wimbledon.
She has been working hard on her fitness under the watchful eye of trainer Sravanan, who has given specific exercises for strength, endurance and speed. “We are looking at her movements. She needs a lot of strength and speed,” he says.
She is always on the court – either at the Lal Bahadur Stadium or at the GVK Academy, twice a day, trying to carve a niche for herself.
Pranjala admits that being around international players is a bonus. “I get to learn a lot from these players as it builds confidence. I get to watch some good matches. The ITF coaches closely follow my game. That, in a way helps my game. They told me that I am playing good tennis but they advised to work on my second service and movement. More importantly, they told me to play more tournaments in the European circuit,” says Pranjala, who has won the under-14, 16 and 18 Nationals.
Being the world number 19 at this age is a huge thing for Pranjala. “Being an Indian and getting this rank is very satisfying. However, I have to work harder to compete with the best in the world,” says the tennis star, who is already being touted as the next best and big tennis star from Hyderabad after Sania Mirza.
