How Sharmada Balu made it back to the tennis court

Returning to tennis after a four-year hiatus and ranked outside 150 in India, Bengaluru’s Sharmada Balu - a wildcard entrant from the qualifying rounds - reached the finals at the Fenesta Open Nationals held in Delhi recently.

The clockwork routine of waking up at 5:30 am, fitness drills, on-court practice, resultant soreness, the emotions of winning and losing. It was this daily grind that Sharmada Balu missed the most during her time away from tennis.

Back on the court in November 2020 after a four-year break, the 28-year-old has been making steady progress and stamping her authority all over again with thumping victories.

Coming off a seven-week tournament stint in Tunisia where she also won her 17th ITF doubles title in September, Sharmada lifted the doubles trophy with partner Sravya Shivani even as she made it to the singles final playing as a wildcard entrant from the qualifying rounds at the recently concluded Fenesta Open Nationals in Delhi.

This latest success was a far-fetched dream a few years ago when a slew of injuries coupled with financial constraints and mental fatigue had forced the Bengaluru girl to call it quits at her prime. “It felt like being in a hamster wheel without going anywhere. Forget playing, I couldn’t even hold a racket after a niggle in my right wrist kept aggravating,” explains the former national junior champion. “Navigating through it all without monetary support became tough,” adds Sharmada.

Speaking about the rollercoaster ride, she says: “All of a sudden I had so much free time without a routine. Initially, I just enjoyed the easy life before taking up a job at Target Corporation for a year and half. It was fun and wasn’t as monotonous. I got promoted too.”

But something changed during the Covid-induced lockdown last year. “It might sound impulsive but one random morning I wanted nothing more than to start playing again. So I put down my papers the very next day to begin my journey back into the sport,” recollects the Sharmada, adding that the 9-5 corporate job taught her all about the other spectrum of "real" life.

Known for her big serves, powerful forehand and volleys, Sharmada admits that she stepped on the tennis court about three times during the entire break. “Surprisingly, my first day at practice felt like I picked up from where I had left off. However, getting physically fit while ensuring the past injuries don’t bother me again was the biggest challenge.”

Training at the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy (RBTA) in the Sports School, Sharmada credits coach Balachandran Manikath, trainers Dhruv Balaraman and Abhijith Subramanyam for her successful return so far apart from the constant cheerleaders - her parents.

“Reaching the singles final at the nationals was unexpected. Beating girls who are much younger and stronger along the way has boosted my confidence,” says Sharmada who is back on the doubles WTA ranking board and hopes to break into the top-300 by the end of 2022. As for the singles, her focus remains solely on the process to climb through the rankings.

Few athletes get a second chance to play and compete, let alone excel at it, but an older and wiser Sharmada is not the one to let go of an opportunity that has come by after several trials. “Now, with a different perspective, I respect the sport a lot more. Going with the flow is my only mantra,” she signs off.

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