Poojashree makes a debut at CWG

A s Delhi braces for the medal rush and the Country proudly hosts the Commonwealth Games -2010, the city also takes pride with Poojashree Venkatesh, the only tennis player from State and the only sportsperson from Mysore to represent the Games beginning from Oct 3.

Buoyed by her success and good form in the recent Thailand and South African games and the Federation cup, the player is all hopes to give her best performance from the Indian side.

Poojashree is part of the Indian women tennis team which includes India’s no. 1 Sania Mirza, Rushmi and Nirupama. The city lass who is India no. 2 would play the singles and doubles tennis in Commonwealth against the world best teams like England and Australia.

The City Herald met the player amidst her busy practice session at the Garden Tennis Club in Nazarbad, where Poojashree began her rendezvous with tennis as a girl of eight years. Yet the common court holds a special place for her despite playing in best courts across world.

Poojashree told City Herald that she will be leaving for Delhi on Sept 24 when the Indian camp begins at the CWG sports village and was excited about playing in the games for the first time.

“I want to give my best performance in all the tournaments,” she remarks.  She said there had been support and encouragement from the Indian Tennis Federation and couple of camps in last six months and few international tournaments help to keep up the pace. 

The ace player is putting in more than six hours a day in the tennis club on practice session and fitness, even as her father Venkatesh and coach Nagaraj keep a tab on her progress. She will also be playing for the Asian Games slated in November and December in China.

Venkatesh who is proud of her daughter’s stride feels that the girl had always practiced in the austere clay court since childhood. She still goes there whenever she is in in Mysore.

“She never went to tennis schools of national and international repute or with matching standards, but went on to become ace player due to her hardwork and dedication,” he says.

The court in Garden tennis club has good omen associated with it as then Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar played against British officers here, he adds.

He opines that the Tennis Federation should have arranged for few domestic tournaments here, before launching the players for the games. Though, there are good coach for the game in India, the foreign players are in advantageous position as their self-esteem  boosts with separate coach for physical fitness and mental strength to defeat the competitor, he said.