Battling The Odds

Chasing the dream of emulating their idols -- the Williams sisters, the talented Delhi siblings talk about the hurdles preventing them from breaking into the big league.

Avinash Nair

Updated on: 15 May 2005 12:00 am

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Battling The Odds

Drawing inspiration from Venus and Serena Williams, India's emerging tennis sensations Ankita and SanaaBhambri are aiming to make it big in the elite league by incorporating their form of power play.

The Delhi-based sisters, who advanced into the final leg of the $10,000 Gujarat NRE Coke-ITF Women's Circuit 2005in Ahmedabad, are hoping to base their game on power play which is currently absent in women's tennis in India.

Eighteen-year-old Ankita, who depends on her booming serves and strong forehand returns, is very impressedby the power game of the William sisters.

"Though my role-model is Steffi Graf, Sanaa and me have looked up to the Williams sisters for the brilliant power tennis they play," said Ankita who has been playing tennis from the age of six.

"The aim and goal of our life is to be like them," she said on the sidelines ofthe tournament.

The Bhambri sisters have steadily risen through the ranks and are now knocking the doors of international women's tennis.

"For playing the kind of game the Williams sisters play, we have to spend much more time training in the gymnasium," said Ankita. However, the immediate goal of the sisters is to get into the top 100 on the WTA list.

"Our immediate goal is to get into the top 100 on the WTA list,"said younger sister Sanaa.

Ankita admits both of them have a long way to go before reaching anywhere near their American idols.

The two sisters, currently coached by Aditya Sachdev in Delhi, feel lack of coacheswith international exposure, quality practice players, and lack of sponsorship were delaying their entry into the international scene.

"The tennis infrastructure in India has become world-class but we do not have many coacheswith international exposure who have the capability of making Sharapovas, Steffi Grafs and their likes,"said Sanna.

"Quality players in India are scattered and so we do not have decent players with whom we can practice," she said adding, lack of sponorship was the biggest hurdle in the expensive sport they were pursuing.

PTI