Who is Sahaja Yamalapalli? Profile, style and scouting report of India's latest tennis sensation

The 23-year-old stunned top seed and WR-92 American Kayla Day at the Mumbai Open.

Sahaja Yamalapalli is an Indian tennis player who has just started her professional career. She was introduced to the sport at the age of 10 and developed a preference for hard courts. She competes in the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour, where she has won three singles titles so far. She also represents Sam Houston State University as a member of the Sam Houston Bearkats women’s tennis team.She joined the team in the 2017–18 season and has been a consistent performer ever since. She made history in 2019 by becoming the second tennis player in the university’s history to be named the Player of the Year, following Irina Sotnikova in 2009. She also had an impressive record of 16-4 in singles play in the Southern Conference, including a nine-game winning streak. Yamalapalli is a talented and hard-working tennis player who has a bright future ahead of her.

Player details

Sahaja Yamalapalli is a young and talented tennis player from Hyderabad, India. She was born on October 29, 2000, which makes her 23 years old as of now. She has been playing tennis since she was 10 and has won three ITF singles titles so far. She is also a student-athlete at Sam Houston State University, where she has earned the Player of the Year award in 2019. She is currently ranked in the top 1000 in the world.

Playing style

Yamalapalli is an Indian tennis player who has a powerful and aggressive playing style. She likes to hit winners on both flanks, especially with her backhand cross-court. She also has a good serve and a solid net game. She prefers hard courts, where she can use her speed and strength to dominate the rallies.She is not afraid to face higher-ranked opponents and has shown remarkable mental toughness and resilience in tight situations. She has won three ITF singles titles and has beaten top-200 players like Kayla Day and Ekaterina Makarova. She is one of the rising stars of Indian tennis.

Best ranking achieved

Sahaja Yamalapalli’s career-high WTA singles ranking is 335, which she achieved on January 29, 2024. She is currently ranked 336 as of February 6, 2024. She has won three ITF singles titles and has beaten top-200 players like Kayla Day and Ekaterina Makarova. She is the second highest-ranked Indian women’s tennis player after Ankita Raina, who is ranked 223.

Best Performance

Sahaja Yamalapalli’s best performance was at the WTA Mumbai Open in 2024, where she stunned the top seed and world No. 92 American Kayla Day in three sets in the first round. She displayed her powerful and aggressive baseline game, especially her forehand crosscourt, and overcame her nerves to seal the match on her third match point. It was her first win against a top 100 player and a huge boost for her career.

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