After reaching the Sania milestone, Maaya wants to keep her feet on the ground

The significance of her achievement is not lost on 17-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, but the teenager is in no rush to get carried away, preferring to let her tennis do the talking after ending a 14-year wait for an Indian to reach the singles quarter-finals at WTA Tour level.

The last Indian to do so was Sania Mirza in February 2012, while Indo-American Shikha Uberoi also reached the last eight at the WTA level in 2005.

Maaya’s breakthrough at the Chennai Open put her in an exclusive club after she beat Poland’s Weronika Falkowska in straight sets on Wednesday night.

For a young player suddenly thrust into the spotlight, the attention that accompanies such a milestone can be both an opportunity and a distraction.

But Maaya sees recognition as an important part of an athlete’s journey, especially in a country where women’s tennis is looking for new role models.

“I think it’s part of an athlete’s career. There are certain things that need to be done and it’s always nice to get help. It’s always nice to get recognition. In a country like India, it’s definitely really nice to have some recognition,” Maaya said after advancing to the quarterfinals.

“But at the end of the day, I think it’s about tennis. You’re doing well, you’re learning and you’re getting what you want.”

The Coimbatore player was candid about not being at her best, especially on her serve, and said her opponent’s aggressive return also made life difficult.

“I’m happy I won. It wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be yesterday (Tuesday), but I’m happy I found ways to win.

“She (Falkowska) was really hitting those returns, going for it, and that made me think more. I think I was really hesitant at the beginning. But after a while, I was like, no matter what, I’m going to go for it. Holding back or hesitating isn’t going to help. So I just tried to go for it more and try to hit spots,” she said.

GOAL FOR THE TITLE FOR THIS YEAR

Maaya’s rise has been built on a period of transition, balancing junior tennis with increasing appearances on the professional circuit. She set her sights on winning a professional title this year and achieved that goal at the ITF event in Lagos.

“I wanted to win a professional title this year and it started with Lagos. So I think it was a good start to my career,” she said.

Her immediate goal, she added, is to play as many matches as possible and finish the year stronger, rather than making rankings or milestones.

“We do have short-term goals, but I’m not going to push to reach those goals. You keep getting better, you keep working on what you have to, and I think the games and the wins will follow,” she said.

The teenager also had to adjust to the challenging weather in Chennai and admitted that the humidity is not something she is used to despite having played at the venue before.

“It’s tough conditions, but it’s the same for both of us. At the end of the day, it’s about who stays more and who fights more. I try to do as much as I can,” she said.

Asked about her journey at junior Grand Slam events, where the results have not always lived up to the promise of her game, Maaya said she prefers to treat setbacks as learning opportunities. This season, she didn’t get past the second round at the singles Grand Slams, but she reached the doubles semifinals at the US Open.

“You play matches, you lose, you learn. There’s no point dwelling on that,” she said.

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