Medal in bag, Ankita Raina searches for more support

By her own admission, Ankita Raina manages to get the best out of herself when there's 'INDIA' written on the back of her jersey. This, despite playing tennis, a sport where representing your country is a rare occurrence.

"I'm quite patriotic," Ankita says in a chat with DNA. "I feel like if I wasn't a tennis player, I would be serving the country in the forces or some other way."

She believes her lift in motivation and skill levels while playing for India compared to when she plays on the Tour comes naturally.

"I've always felt it that way. Even when I play the Fed Cup, I feel a different kind of energy and excitement that I don't usually feel while playing on the Tour. I have 'INDIA' written on my back, something that is not common in our sport. You get to see your flag so many times. Such things mean a lot to me," the 25-year-old says.

All that was on full display during the recently-concluded Asian Games, where she bagged only the second women's singles Asiad medal in Indian tennis after Sania Mirza, despite bouts of illness and exertion towards the latter stages of the mega event.

And yet, despite her bronze medal show in Palembang providing ample proof of her steadily-rising tennis career that has gathered pace over the last one year, India's top-ranked woman singles player is still struggling to find sponsors other than funds from government bodies.

The Ahmedabad-born Ankita, employed with ONGC, has been supported by the Sports Authority of Gujarat since 2013. She was included in the sports ministry's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) only earlier this year after she became the third female Indian singles player to break into the top-200 of the WTA rankings.

Yet, funds from these sources help her ensure mere participation in various professional tournaments around the world throughout the year.

Ankita, current ranked 197 in the world, can't have the benefit of her coach Hemant Bendrey travelling with her to even some of these tournaments, let alone thinking about hiring a physio to look after her body in a physically demanding sport.

These are just key figures of a basic support system for a professional tennis player, let alone luxuries.

"I travel 25-30 weeks a year to different parts of the world. That's a lot of money even for one person. So, imagine one more person or two more people travelling with me," she says.

"I feel it will be good if some corporates come in and support athletes like us, especially because tennis is such an expensive sport compared to most other sports.

"In any case, only a handful play tennis in India, and even fewer among them are able to make it to the top at the national level. So, at least those people can be supported well. Even if these players are still struggling with sponsors, then it's something hard to believe," Ankita adds.

Among the top few female singles tennis players in India, only Karman Kaur Thandi, India's second-best women's singles player at world No. 210, is supported by a popular Indian cricketer's foundation as well as a footwear brand.

Changes after Asiad feat

Sponsorship challenges aside, Ankita looks back at her Asiad bronze-winning moment with an immense sense of pride, though sprinkled with a touch of sadness.

"Your country's national anthem is played only if you win gold. That was what I had been dreaming, that India's national anthem should be played when I'm on the podium. So, that was the only thing that made me a bit sad," Ankita, who lost to top seed and world No. 34 Shuai Zhang of China in the semifinals, says.

"But then when I actually stepped on the podium and when my name was called out, it was a completely different feeling to what I had ever experienced before in my life. It's actually tough to put it in words.

"The journey to get there is so long, and you remember all that. But the actual moment that you're dreaming for is so short-lived," she adds.

The moment might have been a bit of a blur but the rare achievement has sure left a permanent impact on Ankita's life, one that she didn't experience barely about a month ago.

"After I came back to India, I suddenly realised the importance of the Asian Games and the medal. People recognise me now.

"In one of my flights after the Games, a person came up to me and asked, 'Are you Ankita Raina?' Even though I was wearing my India jacket, he knew my name. I was so surprised," she says with a chuckle.

"So, something has surely changed," she adds.

Not just recognition, Ankita was showered with multiple felicitations and honours, both by the central government and the state government of Gujarat.

During one such felicitation programme in Ahmedabad, Ankita recollects she and the other state medal winners being swamped by a number of officials, well-wishers, fans and media personnel the moment they stepped out of the airport.

"There was just no place to walk," she recollects. "It was a sight I'll never forget.

"I mean, I knew they felicitate the medal winners. But I didn't know it would happen on such a large scale.

"It feels good. You remember all the sweat you've put in over the years to be able to see all this," she adds.

Inspire like Sania

What Ankita would also like to see is her Asiad feat translating into more young girls thinking about taking up the sport professionally. Much like it did to her by watching Sania bag a historic silver at the 2006 Doha Asian Games as a 13-year-old budding tennis player.

"I hope that after this medal, a lot of parents motivate their children towards tennis," Ankita says.

"When Sania was playing, she did that. It was really inspiring for girls like me to take tennis up seriously, because I also wanted to play for my country like Sania.

"Now I'm here, and I hope I can make a little difference in that same way and inspire other girls," she adds.

ROAD TO ASIAD BRONZE

Round 2: bt B Gumulya (INA) 6-2 6-4
Round 3: bt E Hozumi (JPN) 6-1 6-2
Quarterfinals: bt E Chong (HKG) 6-4 6-1
Semifinals: lost to Z Shuai (CHN) 4-6 6-7(6)

N ZONE

2 No. of Indian woman tennis players that have won a singles medal at the Asian Games: Sania Mirza (silver in 2006, bronze in 2010) and Ankita Raina (bronze in 2018)