MARGAO
With twin crowns in two successive State-level ranking tennis tournaments, 13-year-old Tithee Bhoomkar appears to have stamped her mark on the roster of young up-and-coming tennis stars in Goa.
In April this year, Tithee won the crown in the under-14 and under-18 girls’ category in the TNS PG tennis tournament and a month later repeated the same feat in the recently concluded BPS All Goa State Ranking Tennis Tournament 2023.
Tithee's passion for tennis began incidentally while a tennis court was being constructed in her neighbourhood, Porvorim. So, she decided to give the sport a try and explore a new area of athletic endeavour, because she was intrigued by tennis around then. Tithee had no idea that her simple curiosity about the racquet sport would inspire a passion within her, propelling her to success on the tennis court.
When asked which stroke she prefers, she replies, "My favourite shot is the forehand shot.” Inspired by Kazakh tennis star Elena Rybakina, she strives to emulate her style and techniques in her own matches.
Tithee says she trains for four hours every day for a week before a competition with tennis coach Avdutt Palekar. "It's important to stay clear and focused; don't let your opponents scare you," she says.
Her primary focus is now zoomed in on the upcoming Gadre Gaspar Dias Tennis Tournament, where she intends to showcase her talent and compete at the highest level in the State. She has set her sights on representing Goa nationally, with the dream of making her State proud on the national tennis stage.
“I’ve always dreamed to compete in the prestigious Gadre Gaspar Dias Tennis Tournament and now that dream is within my reach. I will move ahead with a clear and focused mindset, concentrating not on the opponent, but on the game. My ultimate goal is to proudly represent Goa in the future, but for now, my sole focus is on conquering the Gadre Gaspar Dias Tournament,” says Tithee, expressing her future aspirations.
Tithee Bhoomkar's story is one of passion, determination and relentless pursuit of excellence. With just three years of experience under her belt, she has already shown remarkable potential. Goa would do well to wait with bated breath to witness her exploits on the court in the years to come.
