Pushti Laddha will surprise you. It's not just with her tennis triumphs — the 14-year-old had an all-India ranking of 15 in the Under-14 category last year — but with her straight-to-the-point and confident answers as well. Looks like playing tennis since the age of six, plus going competitive at the age of eight, has really ‘served’ her well. "Certainly tennis has helped me build my confidence. I've played and watched a lot of matches and every one of them has contributed to shaping my personality," says the youngster.
This Hyderabadi girl's off-court composure mimics her on-court personality. She is certainly not stone-faced, but she doesn't try to micro-control her emotions either. But what is always consistent is her smile, no matter if she wins or loses. "That's because I always know how I have played. If I played my best and still lose, I smile because there is acceptance and awareness that there is a lot of work to be done," says the teenager. The same smile brightened this player's face when she won the AITA National Series held in Chennai in July 2019. She went in expecting nothing, but came out a champion. Similarly, at FENESTA Nationals tournament in Delhi, October 2019, she was the runner-up in the doubles category.
The pandemic might have put a hold on tournaments, but the practice must go on. Pushti has been working on her footwork, body conditioning and even on her forehand, which she considers as one of her strengths. This extrovert also finds time to draw and bake scrumptious desserts and pudding, apart from scoring big on academics. She was awarded the Best All-Rounder, Math-a-Magician and General Proficiency certificates from her school Meridian School For Boys and Girls for the past five consecutive years. Woah! "When I am back from my tournaments, I usually catch up with the help of my friends and my mother helps me out a lot too," says the Class X student. And even if her performance is off, she knows that losing is a part of life and needs to be accepted. "Actually, when I started playing competitive tennis, I did not have much idea about what life would be like. It's only later that I realised the immense pressure," says the youngster whose level-headedness defies her own age.
Pushti hopes that she attains her ultimate goal, to play the grand slams and here's hoping right back at her that her perseverance and personality sees her through it.
To reach out to her you can email her at pushtiladdhaa@gmail.com
