Ankita Raina, Riya Bhatia, and Prarthana Thombare share lessons on discipline, nerves, and the art of consistency with young talents ahead of India’s Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs in Bengaluru.
NFAPost, Bengaluru: India’s top women tennis players—fresh off their preparations for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs—turned mentors for a day as they interacted with Karnataka’s emerging tennis talent in an inspiring session held at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru.
The engaging meet-and-greet, organized ahead of the Play-offs scheduled from November 14 to 16, brought together Team India’s Billie Jean King Cup squad—Ankita Raina, Riya Bhatia, Prarthana Thombare, Sahaja Yamalapalli, and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty—with promising young players from across the state. The event offered a unique opportunity for the juniors to learn firsthand from India’s most experienced athletes about navigating the professional circuit, managing pressure, and sustaining performance at the highest level.
“Trust your routine and repetition,” says Prarthana Thombare
For doubles specialist Prarthana Thombare, consistency and structure form the cornerstone of success. Speaking to the young athletes, she emphasized the importance of trusting one’s training during high-pressure moments.
“It’s not about doing something new in a crunch situation,” she said. “It’s about trusting what you’ve done hundreds of times before. When you practice a drill repeatedly, it becomes second nature—and that’s what carries you through under pressure.”
Her advice struck a chord with many in attendance, serving as a reminder that discipline and repetition often separate good players from great ones.
Ankita Raina on the power of discipline and mindfulness
India’s highest-ranked singles player Ankita Raina echoed similar sentiments, stressing that mental focus is a habit cultivated over time, not an instant fix.
“You can’t just wake up one morning, meditate once and expect it to work,” Ankita explained. “It’s about having a system—doing the same things daily, staying grounded, and trusting the process. That discipline is what helps you stay calm and handle the big moments.”
Her words resonated with the young aspirants, many of whom admitted to struggling with nerves during competitive matches.
Riya Bhatia: “Nerves mean you care”
Adding to the conversation, Riya Bhatia offered a refreshing take on dealing with anxiety on court—a topic that often goes unspoken among younger players.
“It’s good to be nervous,” she shared candidly. “Even after playing hundreds of matches, we still feel it. Nerves mean you care—it’s all about using that energy positively rather than letting it overwhelm you.”
Young Karnataka players left inspired
Among those attending were rising juniors like Meghana G.D. (16), Adira Badri Prasad (16), Aditi Khanapuri (16), and Chowdhury (14), who soaked in every word from their idols.
For Meghana, meeting her tennis role model was nothing short of a dream come true.
“I’m so excited to meet all the players and can’t wait to watch them compete in Bengaluru,” she said, beaming. “Ankita Raina is my favourite player. She has such an incredible serve, and I can’t wait to learn from her and see her play live.”
Another young participant, Shreeniti, shared a similar sentiment after observing the national team’s training session.
“It was an honour to watch Team India practice,” she said. “Just seeing how they prepare—the focus, the energy—taught me so much. I’ve learned more in one morning than I could have imagined.”
Building India’s next generation of tennis stars
As India gears up to face their opponents in the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs, this initiative not only boosts team spirit but also strengthens the bridge between the nation’s top-tier athletes and its emerging talent pool.
By sharing their journeys—the struggles, routines, and lessons learned on the global stage—players like Raina, Bhatia, and Thombare are helping shape the mindset of India’s next generation of tennis professionals.
In many ways, the interaction was more than just a motivational session—it was a passing of the torch, a moment where inspiration met aspiration on the courts of Bengaluru.
