BENGALURU, INDIA: India’s number one-ranked women’s tennis player, Sahaja Yamalapalli, has not had an easy ride to the top. Born into a middle-class family that hailed from Khammam in eastern Telangana, Yamalapalli had to face several challenges before earning her right to go to the top.
Having entered the just-concluded KPB Trust Women’s Open 2026, held at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru, as a wildcard, Yamalapalli promised a lot. However, things did not go her way, and she was knocked out of the round of 16 stage by Australia’s Talia Wilson (0-6, 0-6).
Despite her disappointment, Yamalapalli graciously sat down for an exclusive interview with the India Sports Tribune, speaking about her days as a junior, and highlighting what made her take the sport up in the first place.
The 25-year-old waxed eloquent on the constant strife she had to face on her way to the top, and why they have made her grow stronger, both as a player and as an individual. Here are the excerpts:
1. Tell us about how you picked up tennis. Who are your idols in the sport?
I started playing tennis at the age of ten and a half. My father was into sports, and he was a big tennis fan. He liked the way Steffi Graf used to play, but he never got the chance to do so himself because of financial constraints. We moved to Hyderabad from our hometown, Khammam (in east Telangana), when I was seven years old, and I used to see a lot of matches of Novak [Djokovic] on TV.
Then, one day, my father took me to a stadium near my house in Dilsukhnagar (a suburb in southeast Hyderabad) – that was the first day I entered a sports arena! I was into sports too, and tennis was the first thing I spotted. There were only girls at the tennis court back then, and they had a lot of balls to hit – that is what drew me in! I told my father that I wanted to play tennis too. Slowly, the passion for the sport grew, and I just kept going, and here I am. My idols are Novak and Serena [Williams]. I have enjoyed watching both of them, and also copied their styles on court.
2. How does it feel to be India’s top-ranked player? How was the journey for you from the junior level till now?
It’s a dream come true. I had always dreamt of being India’s best player while growing up, and so, it was truly a dream come true. But it also comes with a lot of responsibility because you want to show the next generation what it’s like. You also wish to motivate them and inspire them to take up that role in the future.
My journey from being a junior to now has not been easy at all. When I was a junior, I didn’t play many tournaments – I played just two ITF tournaments! There were a lot of detractors and critics who told me that I could never become a professional – I was not considered to be good enough. Added to that, I had to change my forehand grip when I was 15, and that is a major change to make at that age.
Still, something in me said that I would become a professional someday; my father believed in my ability, and he pushed me relentlessly. After that, I went to college in the USA, and that is where I transformed as a player. It was only after college that I got the confidence to become a professional. All those years in the USA, I had that fire raging within me – I had to become a professional somehow! That is what kept me going and pushed me into working hard despite what people were saying.
3. Tell us about your move to the USA for college. Do you think the move was helpful for your tennis career? What were the challenges of living and training alone in a foreign country?
College was the only option I had; I came from a lower-middle-class family and did not have the finances to train with good coaches or even travel outside the state [Telangana]. Going to the USA for college [on a scholarship] was my only option. I had no idea how things were going to be; I was just 16, and it was to be the first time I would fly – from Hyderabad all the way to the USA!
I had never been on a flight before – I was so scared! It was a new adventure for me. It was such a huge culture shock for me that I couldn’t even eat the food they had there; all I did was nibble on the snacks my mother had packed for me for a month! Life in college was a big mental struggle because I was homesick; I was missing my parents, and especially the food! Managing everything was a challenge, but on the positive side, tennis was great. My coach pushed me a lot in training, and my teammates were quite supportive.
College in the USA helped me become a better player, and it also helped me become independent. It pushed me to grow both as a player and as a person. By the time those four years ended, I was a completely different player. I was more aggressive on court, could take care of myself outside it and even started travelling alone. Those years helped me a lot, and I am extremely grateful for my coach; if not for him and the time I spent there, I would probably not be here.
4. Tell us about your debut in the WTA tour main draw at the 2025 Chennai Open. How crucial was your win in the opening round over Priska Nugroho?
It was a great feeling to make my debut in the WTA main draw in the 2025 Chennai Open. I am extremely grateful for that opportunity. I played Priska [Nugroho] in the first round, and I looked at it as a normal game. I didn’t see it as a big game since I thought it would put me under a lot of pressure. That is what kept me grounded and helped me showcase my skills. That win gave a huge boost to my confidence, especially since it was at such a high level.
5. Tell us about your transition from the ITF tour to the WTA tour. What were the challenges you faced?
Transitioning from the ITF to the WTA tour is hard, for sure. You have to make a lot of progress in the ITF tournaments to get to this level. You have to put in that work every day, and believe in yourself. Even if you face losses every day, you have to keep pushing yourself. You have to be persistent in what you’re doing. These are the challenges I had to face before coming to this level. I am sure there are more challenges coming for me, as I aim to go higher.
6. How was your experience at the KPB Trust Women’s Open 2026?
My experience playing in the KPB Trust Women’s Open 2026 at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium was amazing. Playing in Bengaluru is always spectacular; the city hosts some of the best tournaments. Even the hospitality here is marvellous. I always enjoy my time here. The weather, the people, the stadium – the entire environment makes you want to keep coming back. I am grateful to have played this tournament, and I look forward to doing so again.
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