Sahaja Yamalapalli thread

[sameerph]

Close but no cigar for Sahaja.

At ITF W25 Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan (Hard)

[R2] Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND,573) l. (5) Daria Kudashova (RUS,559) 36 64 67(9)

[Dinesh]

This might be a bit premature considering the withdrawal deadline is 2pm GMT today (and ITF website sometimes takes time to update), but Sahaja is in the entry list (qualifying) of W60 Berkeley ITF for the week of 19-Sep. Posting it here just in case there are any forum members in and around the area to support her.

There is another similar level tournament in Stockton the week after.

[jayakris]

Sahaja's R2 match against the sixth seed veteran former top-175 player Peangtarn Plipuech (THA,342) at the Hua Hin W25, Thailand, has a video feed - https://live.itftennis.com/en/live-stre ... d=36650635

The video went off when she had 2 BPs and couldn't convert in the second game, though... Not sure what happened. 1-1 in the first set.

First time that I am watching Sahaja play. Already saw a Sania-style BHCC winner in the second game to get the 30-40 BP, and I was impressed! Another BHCC in the third game. She does hit the ball hard. Need to avoid DFs, of which she already has two. 2-1.

She is going for her shots (again, Sania-esq), but is quite erratic. Facing 15-40 BPs at 2-2. Hit a few into the net. Broken, 2-3... Peangtarn has a one-handed backhand and is a wily player who would change pace and chip out of the blue -- and invariably Sahaja would hit one out. Not experienced yet at facing some of that stuff, I suppose.

Damn, 4 lobs in a row from Peangtarn from the baseline on kill shots at the net at 30-40 BP at 2-4 on Sahaja's serve! And Sahaja took all of them without letting them bounce. And hit 5 kills in a row and saved the BP. This is fun to see, though she is losing ... She did hold there for a 3-4

[Atithee]

Interesting both names on the scoreboard could be Sahaja’s last name!

Since Jay mentioned Sania, one thing to note is how Sahaja’s service mechanics are so much better.

Had I not known these are ladies playing beforehand, on my small phone screen, the opponent looks like a young boy.

[jayakris]

I have real hard time believing that Peangtarn is a woman. I even went and checked all the photos I could find. Still can't believe it. I mean she is 29 and has been around for a long time, so I have to assume that people have raised this and she has been gender-tested. She even plays a guy's brand of tennis with the chip returns and all that! [EDIT: By the way, when she screams on court, you can hear her female voice very clearly. I guess she makes no effort to "look like a female" and that is all!]

[Atithee]

I have real hard time believing that Peangtarn is a woman. I even went and checked all the photos I could find. Still can't believe it. I mean she is 29 and has been around for a long time, so I have to assume that people have raised this and she has been gender-tested. She even plays a guy's brand of tennis with the chip returns and all that!

Not sure if you’re responding to my observation. Her mannerisms are also very much like men. I didn’t want to focus on it and just reported as a casual observation. Interesting you too picked on it.

[jayakris]

^^^ Yes, I was responding to what you said. Same observation from me too.

Once again a DF caused a 30-40 BP in the 9th game, and once again Sahaja held serve, after a couple of set point BPs. 4-5... And a really good game followed from Sahaja, including a cleanly played backhand DTL winner. Broke her at 30-40 by jumping on a second serve and controlling the point. 5-5

She holds serve for 6-5. Once again, the fearless shot-making was visible when she ran up and hit a top spin FH winner off a volley. Some of these shots are topnotch stuff from Sahaja. Me likey !!

I had to step out for a few minutes, and I find that she broke again and took the first set. Go, go, Sahaja! 75 00

After a missed shot at a 30-40 BP, an angled forehand winner at AD-out did the job for another break. 75 20... More good stuff, as Peangtarn is out of ideas, except to moon-ball everything. Sahaja keeps taking the short ones on the volley and rolling it across, missing only very rarely. She has won 7 games on the trot, for 75 30... An unlucky net-chord and a wasted point when Sahaja should've waited for the ball to drop before hitting for a winner, caused her to be broken in the 5th game. 75 32 on serve now. Can't give wily veterans like the opponent second lives, Sahaja.

Sahaja is again a bit error-prone. Focus, lady, focus! 75 33 and serving... Faced a BP, but saved it and showed good focus in a 17 shot rally at AD in, to hold serve, 4-3 in the second. She certainly doesn't get tight at any point, and just keeps hitting the ball. Plipuech also holds at 40. 4-4... A sania-esq inside out forehand from Sahaja for 30-0. Hits the felt of the ball a couple of times and it is 40-0... And, sure enough Sania, err, Sahaja DFs. 40-30... A forehand goes long, and it is suddenly deuce. That is how it goes with Sahaja, it appears. Nothing seems to rattle her though. She moves up and goes for yet another punch volley on a moonball, and then gets a second serve winner. Holds. 75 54

Sahaja stands 4 feet inside to take a second serve for a return winner, and then again for a move up and a drop shot! At AD out match point, here comes the backhand crosscourt passing shot retrurn winner from the left corner (not exactly the Euclidean angled version Sania used to hit - as those were from mid court, but it reminded me of Sania again). Wow. Screams past the Thai, and it is a match! 75 64. Sahaja

[R2] (Q) Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND,562) d. (6) Peangtarn Plipuech (THA,342) 75 64

[Dinesh]

First time watching Sahaja play and can I just say I’m feeling hopeful for Indian women’s tennis after watching her rather aggressive/unconventional style of play? It’s a pity that she wasn’t awarded even a QWC at the Chennai open but she seems to be working hard for it, earning ranking points consistently. To me, she is the second best singles player at the moment (after Karman). This girl needs to be picked for our BJK cup duties.

Up next, a potential QF clash against either a 19yo #503-ranked player or 21yo ranked #720. Go SAHAJA!!!

[jayakris]

^^^ Can understand that she is not yet ready for WTA events. Very talented but she has not played enough. Hardly played much in the juniors (a bit of a late bloomer, I guess) and then she lost time in the Covid period too. She is 21 but needs to be taken like an 18 or 19 year old in match-experience. She needs more matches to become more accurate in her shots, but holy crap, she does have the shots! And the right attitude and temperament to go with it.

[Atithee]

I like her serve too. Seems like she has been coached well. Too many DF though.

[jayakris]

Since Jay mentioned Sania, one thing to note is how Sahaja’s service mechanics are so much better.

I am not an expert to say it is better, but she definitely has to get more accurate in serving. I noticed it at the start itself and said she should stay away from DFs. But she went on to double-fault 10 times (to go with 2 aces). That is way too many easy points to give to the opponent. The serve looks effective-enough to me, but she needs to make sure that the second serve goes in. I think it is a fixable thing. Needs to improve on it with the right coach.

Her style of hitting the ball reminds me so much of Sania. Similar body stucture too, I think. Sahaja looks sneaky quick though. She shows better anticipation than Sania and runs to the ball better than Sania ever did. There was one dead run to the right corner where she retrieved it and hit it across very well (and Sania was quite poor in specifically that kind of retrieval, even when she got to the ball). Sania had a bit more power in her strokes, perhaps.

[jayakris]

To me, she is the second best singles player at the moment (after Karman). This girl needs to be picked for our BJK cup duties.

Yes, Sahaja is the second best player. If she gets back to health/form, Ankita is probably still our best. Karman is still a close second, and then it is Sahaja. Heck, the last time they played, Sahaja turned the tables on Karman (who had beaten her in three sets the week before) in a 6-1 6-2 shellacking. So she may not be behind Karman, actually! Riya, Rutuja and Sowjanya are also ranked ahead but I don't think any of them can beat Sahaja right now, unless Sahaja makes a lot of mistakes owing to inexperience. Well, she took out Sowjanya in straight sets at Gurugram too.

Sahaja is no flash in the pan. She is going to go places. Will be our #1 player in due course of time. How soon, I don't know. May even be pretty soon.

Up next, a potential QF clash against either a 19yo #503-ranked player or 21yo ranked #720. Go SAHAJA!!!

I hope it is #503 Kudashova... For revenge for that three-setter 9-11 final tiebreaker loss to her two months ago in Kazakhstan.

[prasen9]

I have real hard time believing that Peangtarn is a woman. I even went and checked all the photos I could find. Still can't believe it. I mean she is 29 and has been around for a long time, so I have to assume that people have raised this and she has been gender-tested. She even plays a guy's brand of tennis with the chip returns and all that! [EDIT: By the way, when she screams on court, you can hear her female voice very clearly. I guess she makes no effort to "look like a female" and that is all!]

I do not know if this is done. There was this Indonesian man who played volleyball as a woman and never really tested until he joined the army. He won international medals (as a woman). Manganang I do not know if gender testing is done that often. And that too gets complicated because we do not really have a clear answer of who is a man and who is a woman.

[sameerph]

Excellent win by Sahaja and thanks Jay for great summary.

Yes, Sahaja is the second best player. If she gets back to health/form, Ankita is probably still our best. Karman is still a close second, and then it is Sahaja. Heck, the last time they played, Sahaja turned the tables on Karman (who had beaten her in three sets the week before) in a 6-1 6-2 shellacking. So she may not be behind Karman, actually! Riya, Rutuja and Sowjanya are also ranked ahead but I don't think any of them can beat Sahaja right now, unless Sahaja makes a lot of mistakes owing to inexperience. Well, she took out Sowjanya in straight sets at Gurugram too.

I think that loss by Karman was after Karman had won 5 matches in earlier week and was playing 6th match in 8-9 days. The best measure of player's current level is the level of players whom they have beaten. Karman has beaten players ranked #109 and #198. Ankita beat 2 players ranked in top 200 in Korea last month. Today's win by Sahaja was the best of her career thus far.
I agree about her being better than Riya, Rutuja and Sowjanya. But, as of now I would still put her behind Ankita and Karman. If she started beating players ranked inside top 200 or at least 300, I may put her ahead of either of them. But, all this is without watching her play. Based on your report, she may actually be quite close to pulling off such wins.

[jayakris]

Sameer, I agree. Sahaja is behind Ankita and Karman as of now. If Ankita is in very poor form and is really on the way out (which I don't think is the case, seeing the Korea results) she would move up to second, that is all. Behind Karman too, but there also, if Karman does not move up like we have all been waiting for ever for her to do, Sahaja has what it takes to possibly get ahead at some point, on the way to top-200.

But then again, who knows in tennis if players would improve or not. Some just get stuck at some rankings and can't move up regardless of the shots and tools they may display. Like, RamK has everything needed to be a top-75 player but has hardly managed to stay much even in the top-150. Anyway, we have to be upbeat and hopeful on Sahaja. We have so few good ones to hitch our hopes on!