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`Net' gain for Punam
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Up and coming tennis pro Punam is rapidly honing her skills through the WTA tournament
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Photo: S. Subramanium
SHE MAY have been lost in the crowd at the Hyderabad WTA Open as quite rightly the focus is on the legendary Martina Navratilova and Hyderabad's own sensation Sania Mirza. But the tall and athletically built Punam Reddy is keen to script a new chapter in the near future. More importantly, this Hyderabadi is determined to come out of the shadow of her more famous friend and teammate, Sania.
And she did give a glimpse of her talent by the way she fought back after being outplayed 1-6 in the first set against Remi Tezuka of Japan in the qualifying round.
Fresh from her experience in the Junior Australian Open Grand Slam singles where she tripped at the first hurdle, Punam, who is ranked India No.1 in under-18 category and No.5 in women's section, says she is confident of making a real impact in the coming days. "It is a great experience to play in an event like the WTA Open. Any event for me is a learning experience. I am disappointed at not advancing too far here but that may not be reflection of my potential," she says candidly.
Talking of her brush with a tennis superstar of Martina's status, Punam says, "It is a lifetime opportunity to see Martina in action from such close quarters. I hope to exchange a few notes with her." Continuing in the same breath, she adds that watching Martina play is itself a huge learning experience. "I will be there to pick a few valuable tips from her matches." Quite understandably, Punam says she is struck by the ambience of the venue. "These are the type of events which lift our spirits and spur us to produce something special," says the articulate Punam. And she signs off saying, "Come next edition, you will hear more about me and my game."
Well, that's what the Hyderabadis are hoping to see from this talented youngster!
V. V. SUBRAHMANYAM
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