Tennis Champ Rutuja Bhosale Wins Third ITF Singles Title, Her First One Since 2017

One of India's top tennis players, Rutuja Bhosale won her first title in three years. She clinched the $15,000 ITF women’s event in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Sunday. Winning against Anna Siskova of the Czech Republic, Bhosale made a stunning return to the professional circuit this year. In the final of the ITF women’s tennis tournament, she clinched her third career singles title and first event since the lockdown with a score of 6-2, 7-5.

The 24-year-old Pune girl had played an instrumental role in helping India qualify for the Fed Cup World Group playoff in Dubai during March. Talking about making a comeback to the court, Bhosale said, “It was very exciting because I had been training for months in a row and to get back on the competing side was definitely exciting,” TOI reported. Bhosale is ranked 451 in the latest WTA Doubles Rankings.

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Last year, she won the prestigious Shiv Chhatrapati Award and represented India at the Asian Games. She also recovered from an injury. She had earlier won two singles titles in 2017. “It got better as the week went. I felt a little rusty at the beginning but made adjustments. The conditions were weird with the wind,” the fifth-seed Bhosale said.

For the Egypt tournament, she had to make a two-and-a-half days’ travel in flight. The former Asian junior champion and National women’s champion, Bhosale is married to Maharashtra batsman Swapnil Gugale. The couple tied the knot in August this year. “He was helping me with the last min stuff and for sure was different because I’m used to mom being around so much,” she said.

Coach speaks

“I expected her to play well, as she has been training well. Physically she is sharp and fresh for matches. We trained from July after the lockdown. Then she got married and came back for training. She is going to be playing a few weeks of tournaments now. A trainer is with her. I am confident that she will continue to have good results,” said her coach Hemant Bendrey, The Hindu reported.

Taking up the Sport

Talking about facing criticism for taking up this sport, earlier in an exclusive interview to SheThePeople.TV Bhosale said that people had often told her parents that "I am a girl and I am the only child, why are they putting in so much of money in a sport which is so tough. Is there any guarantee that the money is going to come back."

Overall, she has won 14 doubles titles in the professional circuit.

"My message to the young girls would be to keep working hard, keep your head up high no matter what. And this quote on my phone which I feel really pushes me which says: ‘no matter how you feel, get up, dress up and never give up’", she told STP earlier.

Interview: My Challenge Is To Be Fit And To Play Injury Free: Rutuja Bhosale

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