PUNE: Radhika Tulpule Kanitkar is confident the Indian women’s team will give a good account of itself against Latvia in the Billie Jean King Cup World Group playoff tie next month.
India will be travelling to Jurmala, near Riga, for the April 16-17 tie against a team that comprises former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and former world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova.
The Baltic nation very nearly pulled off an upset against the USA in their World Group Qualifier in early 2020 when Sevastova handed Serena Williams her first ever defeat in the competition. The US clinched the decisive doubles rubber to prevail 3-2.
Radhika, who has been appointed coach of the team, believed that the Indian team had the balance and depth to give itself a fighting chance in what will be their playoff debut.
“It is a good group, I am confident about the team. All the girls are good in singles and doubles, we have a lot of options,” Radhika, 39, said.
Radhika, whose lone appearance in the women’s team competition came in a 3-0 blanking of Kazakhstan in 2000, has earlier guided the Indian junior team as well.
“It is something a coach dreams of, much like a player,” an excited Radhika said of her role with the Indian team.
The Indian side will be spearheaded by doubles star Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina. The big-serving Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale and Zeel Desai are the other members of the team with Riya Bhatia as reserve.
Radhika will get a chance to officially interact with the players during a camp, expected to be on April 7-8 in Delhi, prior to their departure to Latvia.
Of course, she knows them individually. Ankita and Rutuja are from Pune and she had played and won a junior doubles event in Philippines with Sania.
“Sania being there and not being there is a huge difference. Her presence is definitely an added motivation for the girls,” Radhika said.
Zeel has been named in the playing group ahead of Riya, who is ranked much higher. But Radhika, who had watched the Ahmedabad girl during the ITF event in Pune earlier this month, was confident of the 22-year-old doing well, should he get a chance to step on the court.
“Zeel is not a newcomer, she has been a great junior and played the (junior) Grand Slams,” the coach said.
Radhika acknowledged that her familiarity with team captain Vishaal Uppal, a former Davis Cupper, will help her ease into the new role smoothly.
“Vishaal has been travelling with them (for previous ties). I am a sort of a rookie in that regard,” she said.
“We have played men’s and women’s tournaments together, we won the senior nationals (in different age-categories) the same week,” she mentioned.
India will be travelling to Jurmala, near Riga, for the April 16-17 tie against a team that comprises former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and former world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova.
The Baltic nation very nearly pulled off an upset against the USA in their World Group Qualifier in early 2020 when Sevastova handed Serena Williams her first ever defeat in the competition. The US clinched the decisive doubles rubber to prevail 3-2.
Radhika, who has been appointed coach of the team, believed that the Indian team had the balance and depth to give itself a fighting chance in what will be their playoff debut.
“It is a good group, I am confident about the team. All the girls are good in singles and doubles, we have a lot of options,” Radhika, 39, said.
Radhika, whose lone appearance in the women’s team competition came in a 3-0 blanking of Kazakhstan in 2000, has earlier guided the Indian junior team as well.
“It is something a coach dreams of, much like a player,” an excited Radhika said of her role with the Indian team.
The Indian side will be spearheaded by doubles star Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina. The big-serving Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale and Zeel Desai are the other members of the team with Riya Bhatia as reserve.
Radhika will get a chance to officially interact with the players during a camp, expected to be on April 7-8 in Delhi, prior to their departure to Latvia.
Of course, she knows them individually. Ankita and Rutuja are from Pune and she had played and won a junior doubles event in Philippines with Sania.
“Sania being there and not being there is a huge difference. Her presence is definitely an added motivation for the girls,” Radhika said.
Zeel has been named in the playing group ahead of Riya, who is ranked much higher. But Radhika, who had watched the Ahmedabad girl during the ITF event in Pune earlier this month, was confident of the 22-year-old doing well, should he get a chance to step on the court.
“Zeel is not a newcomer, she has been a great junior and played the (junior) Grand Slams,” the coach said.
Radhika acknowledged that her familiarity with team captain Vishaal Uppal, a former Davis Cupper, will help her ease into the new role smoothly.
“Vishaal has been travelling with them (for previous ties). I am a sort of a rookie in that regard,” she said.
“We have played men’s and women’s tournaments together, we won the senior nationals (in different age-categories) the same week,” she mentioned.