Pune: At the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games, Rutuja Bhosale was a ball girl during a match featuring Yuki Bhambri.
1 Rohan Bopanna in Hangzhou in 2023. So for me it is an opportunity to learn, now that I am a full-time doubles player,” the 30-year-old said. After a bye in the first round, Rutuja and Yuki could face a tough second round against Taiwan’s Su-Wei Hsieh, former doubles world No.1 and seven-time Grand Slam winner, and Chun-Sin Tseng. We know how we work together, we definitely are more pumped than normal for sure when we play for India,” said Rutuja, who comes into Japan after reaching the semifinal and fourth round of successive WTA 125 events in Turkey and Portugal.
It is an opportunity to learn and also see how well I can play,” said Rutuja, who topped the podium with former world no. It is definitely going to be challenging, but we have put in the work and I am mentally prepared,” Rutuja said. But this is just my second year as a full-time doubles player and I am learning the nicks and nacks (sic) of the doubles tour,” she said.
“Being the defending champion is an incredible feeling. I have never had this before, so it’s very exciting. And I will be playing with another great player, Yuki, who is playing so well. “I was actually telling him how I had ball-girled his match during the Commonwealth Youth Games. “Am super excited. I didn’t know if she (Su-Wei) would be playing. “Ankita and I have played together and most of the time has been at the BJKC (Billie Jean King Cup). The Higashiyama Park tennis centre will also offer Rutuja a platform to see how she measures up against the seasoned doubles pros. “All these girls are doing super well on the tour and I am trying to catch up for sure.