Rutuja Bhosale is an Indian tennis player. She made her debut for the India Fed Cup team in 2012 and she also achieved her highest junior ranking of world number 55. She has won 3 titles in singles and 15 titles in doubles on the ITF circuit. This live session was organized on 5th September 2021 by the Student organization, Tachyons, under the aegis of DSW, LPU.
On the occasion of teacher’s day, she expressed her gratitude to her coaches and parents who have been teaching her everything, including life. Her father put her into tennis at the age of 9 as her father was a national-level javelin thrower and kabaddi player but couldn’t go forward with this due to the minimal popularity at that time. So, he wanted his kid to play a sport. When she played her first competitive tournament, she got to know about the nature of the sport that you have to fight for every point. This also applies in our life, nothing comes to you easily.
She has graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Human resources and Tourism management. She told an incident from her life where she experienced failure and what helped her to bounce back from it. For her college, she took a break from professional tennis for 4 years. Then after graduating, she resumed playing and won a tournament just after it. Within 3 months of playing, she suffered from a serious shoulder injury but when she returned, she couldn’t win any game. It was a time when she struggled physically and mentally. During these times, her parents made her realize that she loves the sport and if tennis is not a part of her life, she won’t be happy and she would lose herself in the process. Her love for the sport has always kept her motivated.
She inspired vertos by saying “The hard work that you put into your career is going to be fruitful someday or the other, maybe not now but surely, later. Everyone shines at different moments.” Not everything can happen according to what you’ve planned but one must keep moving forward. The result doesn’t matter as long as you are giving your 100% and putting in all your efforts.
During COVID-19, her practice did get hampered but she strictly followed a routine to be fit and healthy, as an athlete. When asked that what she would have done if she had not been a tennis player, she answered that she always wanted to become police commissioner as her father is serving in the police. If given an opportunity, she would still want that.
She advised her juniors that as sports area has become very competitive now and everyone wants to achieve everything young. Rather you should understand that sports are a very long process that you should enjoy. If you don’t enjoy the process, you will feel like it is a burden. Always be true to yourself and true to who is guiding you.
Her favorite sports idols are Roger Federer and Venus Williams. She asserted that sports taught her discipline, teamwork, time management, kindness, and many things. She advised budding sportspersons to be hardworking, disciplined, and persistent. You have to make sure that you work hard towards your goal. Never let someone tell you that you cannot do it. Keep your head high, your feet to the ground, keep working hard and whatever you dream for is going to come true.
