World number

Former World No: There is usually something special that inspires youngsters to take up sports and in the case of India's promising women's tennis player Shrivalli Bhamidipaty it was the pretty dresses worn by former World No.1 Maria Sharapova that ignited her passion for the sport.

Among the most promising Indian women’s tennis players in the main draw of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K tournament, Shrivalli made a sensational start to the tournament, winning two very impressive games in the qualifying round. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad is keen on making a solid impression in this prestigious event which returns to Mumbai after a gap of six years and is being played at the iconic Cricket Club of India.

However, what inspired and motivated the current Indian national champion in both singles and doubles, was former World Number 1 Maria Sharapova, whose dress caught her eye. “I used to look at Maria Sharapova’s pictures and really liked her pretty clothes. I, too, wanted to wear such pretty dresses and that’s the reason I started playing tennis at the age of 11 and got hooked into the sport. Playing tennis allowed me to be able to wear pretty dresses. So, for me getting into sports was pretty accidental,” she said.