KHAMMAM: 23-year-old tennis prodigy from Khammam — Yamalapalli Sahaja — is making waves as a role model for young girls across India. Hailing from a middle-class family and plagued by financial constraints, Sahaja’s journey to achieving a No. 2 ranking in India, and a world ranking of 324 has been marked by determination and passion.
Discovering her love for tennis at a young age, Sahaja turned her hobby into a professional pursuit by the age of 10 when she was studying at Vignan School. Despite financial constraints, her talent shone through, earning her a spot in the Indian national team. Currently, she is being trained at the Peter Burwash International (PBI) Tennis Academy in Bengaluru.
She secured a top 20 national ranking in tennis by the time she completed her intermediate studies at Siddhartha Junior College and in 2017, she earned a athletic scholarship to study food technology at the Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, USA, where she continued to excel both academically and on the tennis court.
Speaking to TNIE, Sahaja said that it was only because of the support from her parents — Y Bhavani Prasad and Supriya, currently settled in Hyderabad — that she was able to clinch multiple professional singles titles and represent India in prestigious tournaments. She boasts an impressive record of professional singles titles, including victories at International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments in Solapur, Gurugram, and Nagpur.
She has also represented the Indian Women’s Tennis team in the Billie Jean King Cup (Fed Cup) in 2023 and will represent the nation this year as well, alongside numerous wins at All India Tennis Association (AITA) tournaments. Sahaja aims to compete in Grand Slam tournaments and bring glory to the nation.
However, Sahaja’s journey has not been without its challenges. Despite her success, financial constraints continue to hinder her progress in the sport. Sahaja and her father, Bhavani Prasad, appealed to potential donors and sponsors to support his daughter’s aspirations, emphasising the transformative impact their assistance could have on her career and ensuring that she can continue to represent her country with pride and determination.