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‘When you find yourself taking part in workforce occasions in these Video games, it is a fully completely different ambiance.’
‘There’s stress, there’s pleasure, it is a fully completely different vibe.’
IMAGE: Ankita Raina is aiming for the highest prize and a podium end on the Asian Video games in Hangzhou, China. Images: Sort courtesy Ankita Raina/X
India’s No 1 ladies’s tennis participant Ankita Raina will lead the cost on the Asian Video games, which begins in Hangzhou from Saturday, September 23, 2023.
The 30 yr previous has been in good type, guaranteeing India stay within the Asia/Oceania Group I within the Billie Jean Cup (earlier known as the Fed Cup) 2023. With two wins in 5 ties, India completed fourth in Group I Pool A, avoiding a drop to Group II for subsequent season.
Whereas acknowledging that commendable effort, Ankita and her colleagues, within the absence of the seasoned Sania Mirza, could have added accountability of bringing glory to India on the Asiad.
“I’ve at all times talked about that taking part in for and representing the nation is a very completely different feeling and it has been a dream since I used to be a child,” Ankita tells Norma Astrid Godinho/Rediff.com.
“Rising up I at all times appeared as much as being within the workforce and now being within the workforce, being in that place is a good feeling,” she provides.
“However, clearly, it comes with a whole lot of accountability. I’ve been taking part in within the Fed Cup workforce for the final 10 years, so I can positively say that I’ve the expertise of dealing with the stress moments. And like I stated, it is at all times a particular and a proud feeling to signify India each time for the Billie Jean King Cup.”
On the 2018 Asian Video games, India returned with one gold medal and two bronze medals in tennis. Ankita was one of many three medallists, profitable bronze within the ladies’s singles occasion. However Ankita is decided to go two higher at Hangzhou.
“When you find yourself taking part in workforce occasions in these Video games, it is a fully completely different ambiance. There’s stress, there’s pleasure, it is a fully completely different vibe. In 2018, I gained the bronze within the singles occasion. The purpose this yr is to go increased and switch that bronze into gold and I am making ready for that,” Ankita says, goal in her voice.
IMAGE: Ankita Raina stumbled in her opening recreation on the Wimbledon qualifiers, June 27, 2023.
Whereas Ankita posted some enviable performances on court docket this yr, she didn’t make the minimize for Wimbledon this yr.
‘Grass is at all times greener on the opposite aspect. A troublesome outing on the most prestigious event however at all times particular to play right here #Wimbledon,’ she tweeted after her 6-3, 6-7 (5), 1-6 to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on June 27.
“I used to be disillusioned as a result of grass is my favorite floor and I really feel with my recreation it is the perfect likelihood, other than exhausting court docket, after all, as a result of that’s the place I’ve performed essentially the most,” she says. “I’ll plan it a bit otherwise and get higher subsequent time.”
Inserting a finger on why she has not gone previous the qualifiers on the Slams, Ankita says: “It is determined by a whole lot of components just like the draw, the venue and issues like that. However the Wimbledon qualifying match that I misplaced at Roehampton, I gained the primary set, then I used to be trailing within the 2nd set, however then I fought again. Within the 2nd set tie-breaker there have been these essential moments the place I felt I might have performed a bit extra strong and a bit extra aggressive.”
“These are stuff you maintain engaged on,” she says. “Final yr I could not play these Slams and now I acquired again up within the rankings. I used to be dejected about not qualifying, however on the similar time I used to be completely satisfied about that too (having the ability to play the qualifiers).”
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