Hit and fun with Sania Mirza and Martina Navratilova in Hyderabad

Navratilova (C) with Mirza and WTA Asia Vice-President Melissa Pine

How does it feel to be able to hit with the newly-crowned Wimbledon ladies’ doubles champion and a 59-time Grand Slam winner? Some budding tennis players in India got to experience just that on Wednesday at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy in Hyderabad.

As part of the WTA’s ‘Road To Singapore’ programme leading up to the gala year-ender to be held in Singapore in October, this was a session intended to inspire and sharpen the skills of the next generation of Indian tennis players.

17-year-old Karman Kaur Thandi who was adjudged the 2014 WTA Future Stars winner and got to hit with Li Na, was also present at this event.

In the presence of WTA Finals Tournament Director Melissa Pine, the current doubles World No. 1 and the former No. 1 held a WTA Masterclass, in which they hit with Thandi as well as a number of other children. It was a dream come true for many as Martina held a one-on-one coaching session about the basics of the game and Sania taught them the right approach for the shots.

Hope girls in India believe anything is possible: Mirza

Reigning No. 1 Mirza, who has already qualified for the WTA Finals this year with doubles partner Martina Hingis was bestowed with a special necklace for her rise to the summit of the rankings. The Hyderabadi said she hoped that her monumental success will motivate a lot of young girls in her country and evoke the self-belief in them.

“I feel extremely honored to be No.1, it’s something that I’ve worked for all my life. I hope this makes girls in India believe that anything is possible; we can achieve anything we want if we put our mind and body to it,” Mirza said.

Do what you love: Navratilova

The 58-year-old Navratilova who holds a staggering 167 WTA singles titles, imparted some of her knowledge and mantra in life to the wide-eyed youngsters. And what better advice can there be than “Do what you love” from a champion who astonished everyone with her longevity and passion for the game?

“It’s wonderful to be able to impart a bit of the knowledge I have gained in my many years of playing to young players like Karman. She represents the future of the women’s game and it is my hope that events like the WTA Future Stars masterclass and ultimately the WTA Finals inspires many more like Karman to pick up a racquet,” the Czech-born American said.

The two Wimbledon champions, Sania Mirza and Martina Navratilova, had a lot of fun and banter too. Fans got a chance to see the lighter side of the two ambassadors of the game and ask them questions on a hangout session on Periscope.

The legendary Navratilova, who admitted to loving Indian food and people, was tutored by Sania in Hindi, and she later on greeted her viewers with a ‘Namaste’!

With Sumit Nagal recently crowned the Wimbledon junior doubles champion, this is indeed a wonderful time for India’s junior tennis. The initiative that the WTA has taken to inculcate these young players with the values of a champion is utmost welcome. A hit and a motivational session with Navratilova can greatly encourage them and can help them to climb the higher echelons. And seeing Mirza up close after she conquered the pristine lawns of the All England Club, can work wonders.

Here’s hoping Indian junior players can get more such training sessions which can give a boost to tennis in the country at the grassroots level.