COVID-19: Sai Bhoyar aims higher after missing ITF debut

 

Promising young Indian tennis player, Sai Bhoyar has been practicing on the tar road in front of her house due to the lockdown order.

It could be recalled that Bhoyar announced herself into the stage of the game in 2017 with back-to-back wins of the under-14 Asian Championship titles.

After she emerged as the winner of the junior event, the 15-year old’s dream is to participate in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments.

Bhoyar has not stopped from there two years ago as she remained on top of her game. After finishing in the top-two in singles and doubles categories, the 15-year-old future star has climbed the All India Tennis Association (AITA) Under-16 rankings as she currently occupies number 6 in early March.

This has made her anticipate participating in the ITF competitions. She would have made her debut in a tournament slated to begin March 24 at Raipur. With the lockdown, that has to wait as the world battles COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of the epidemic, sporting events have been suspended while some have already been canceled.

The youngster who also remained uncertain about what is looming over all future sporting events said the  Raipur ITF junior could have been a step up for her in her career.

Known for her on-court attitude, which has been described as tenacious, Bhoyar has been preparing for the tournament as she had been practicing daily during her Class X CBSE exam in March.

Speaking on her latest ranking, she revealed that she had set a new target, which is the number one spot, adding that her long-term goal remains the Grand Slams.

As part of the effort to help her achieve her dream, Bhoyar knew that she has to move out of the city, and she has now changed to Pune for professional coaching.

Speaking on the pandemic, which has made all sporting activities to be a standstill, Bhoyar’s father, Rajesh, said it is a difficult period, hoping that things would be normal soon.

Bhoyar bagged Rs 50,000 cash and a shield from the Maharashtra government for her feat. She was also rewarded with a scholarship from the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA). This was because she was among the top-3 in the Under-16 category in the state.

 

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed