Indian No. 1 Sahaja Yamalapalli had a difficult match in the opening round of the WTA 125 L&T Mumbai Open. She lost to Lanlana Tararudee in a close 3-setter.

She shared her thoughts on her match and on her journey so far.

Interviewer: Sahaja, let’s talk about your match today. You started the first set with a serve broken, without even winning a point on serve. Can you walk us through what happened there?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: Yeah, I think I was just tight, honestly. I wasn’t swinging freely. I was nervous in the beginning, which is normal, but I didn’t handle it well enough. That hurt me because in the second set, I came out swinging and was playing my game, really putting pressure on her. If I’d done that from the first point, it would have been a different match. I think if I had started stronger, the pressure would have shifted to her, and the momentum could have swung my way. The balls were also getting heavy as the games went on, which made it tougher.

Interviewer: Looking back over the last year, especially since the Mumbai Open last year, how would you describe your development?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: The last 12 months have been a rollercoaster. The first six months were really up and down. I was struggling to find a coach and was mostly on my own, trying to figure things out. It was tough. I had good results sometimes, but then I’d struggle mentally. I also had some niggles, like a shoulder issue. But even with all that, I think I did decently. I maintained my ranking and even reached a career-high of 284. So I’m grateful for that. This year started really well. I feel like I’ve found my game. Even in this tournament, despite the loss today, I thought I played well compared to six months ago. These last few tournaments have been good for my confidence.

Interviewer: You mentioned finding a coach. Who are you working with now?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: I’m working with Pau Martin. He’s from Barcelona. I met him in Bangalore a week before that tournament, while I was training there to get used to the courts. I liked him, and we started working together. I made the quarterfinals in Bangalore and had some good wins. After that, I told him I wanted to continue working with him in other tournaments. It’s been three weeks, and I’m really happy with him. My fitness coach has been with me for the past three years. He’s been the most constant person on my team, to be honest. Pau also works with me on the mental side of the game. Everything feels like it’s coming together now. It feels much more stable.

Interviewer: Does your fitness trainer travel with you?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: He hasn’t yet. He’s based in Bangalore and came for that tournament. He could travel, but it’s a matter of finances. Right now, my priority is paying my coach. Maybe later on, I can bring my fitness trainer along. My coach is traveling with me now.

Interviewer: So you’re traveling alone most of the time?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: Yeah, always, except when I’m in India and my mom comes. It’s tough. It’s a lonely sport. You’re all alone out there. Especially now with the coaching rules, you’re not just playing against the player, but against their entire team, while you’re figuring things out on your own. It adds a lot of pressure. It makes a big difference to have someone there supporting you. Even knowing someone is there to help takes a lot of pressure off. It’s been challenging, and I’m still trying to figure out the financial side so I can have a consistent team around me.

Interviewer: You were training at PBI last year, right?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: Yes, in 2022 and 2023.

Interviewer: Are you still based in Bangalore?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: No, I moved to the US last year. My parents moved to Albany, New York, so I’ve been spending more time there. I was trying to find a base there, which was challenging. I worked with Harsh Mankad for three months late last year, which was good for knowledge and experience, but it didn’t work out long-term.

Interviewer: How challenging has it been to constantly be without a coach, then find one, try them out, and then be back to square one, all while trying to improve your game and earn ranking points?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: It’s tough, but I’m used to it. Since I was a kid, I never had a proper academy or setup. I was always figuring things out on my own. So I’m used to it. I can’t complain because I don’t have a choice. I just have to keep going and believe that things will work out. People have always come into my life at the right time.

Interviewer: What were the first things you discussed with Pau, and what changes has he brought to your game?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: He saw that I had a big game, especially my forehand, and that I was an aggressive baseliner. He wanted to enhance that immediately. He noticed I was hitting well but staying back too much. He’s been pushing me to move forward, come to the net, and be brave. We’ve also been working on my serve, as my percentage was low. It was a bit of a challenge in today’s match because it’s still a habit for me. He’s only been with me for three weeks, so these things take time. He’s trying to change things that can help me immediately, even in matches. I’m a fast learner, so I’ve been implementing his suggestions quickly, and I’ve seen results. Every match, even the ones I lost, I felt like I got better for the next one.

Interviewer: You’ve played against a lot of higher-ranked players recently. What do you think you need to work on to reach the next level, like Grand Slam qualifying?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: I’m close to these players. If I play my game, I can beat them. I’ve had moments in matches where I’m dominating. It’s just about tidying up a few things. Small tweaks, like knowing when to play it safe when I’m up, getting a higher percentage on my serve, stepping in and hitting the plus one. These small things make a big difference. We’ve been working on it, and it’s paying off. It just takes a little bit more every day. It’s a process.

Interviewer: You mentioned feeling tight at the start of the match. Did the pressure of defending your ranking points from last year play on your mind at all?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: I need to reflect on why that happened. Maybe it was just playing in that stadium again. I need to figure out how to handle that pressure better because it’s going to happen again. Playing tournaments in the US helps because there are more opportunities at a higher level. That’s what helped me last year. Now, my coach is based in Europe, and I’m trying to establish a base there. I think that will be even more helpful.

Interviewer: You’ve talked about doing everything on your own, even when you were training as a junior. Can you tell us more about that time?

Sahaja Yamalapalli: It was tough. I come from a low middle-class family. When I was 10, my dad wanted me to play for fitness. We didn’t have much money. I was buying secondhand rackets and paying a thousand rupees a month for coaching in 2010. We couldn’t afford a proper coach. I was learning from YouTube. My dad would teach me too. He was a teacher. I even tried to change my forehand grip based on a YouTube video when I was 11, which didn’t go well! For four years, I was just trying to figure things out, playing with that incorrect grip. I barely played any domestic tournaments because we couldn’t afford the travel. My dad worked incredibly hard so I could play. Everyone else had all the gear and professional setups, but we never felt like I couldn’t make it. My dad saw that I was a fast learner and worked hard, and we believed it would eventually come together. Even after finishing 10th grade, I had no ranking. My dad asked me if this was what I wanted to do, and I said yes. Then I went to an academy in Secunderabad. That’s when I had a proper coach. I would take the bus there at 5 am every day. My mom would pack my breakfast and lunch. The coach there was hesitant at first, but my dad convinced him. There was another person there, Prahlad Kumar Jain, who gave me free coaching every day before work. He’s like a god to us. He even helped me financially. Those two years helped me improve a bit. My family helped with money, and my dad struggled with his jobs. It was tough. Hyderabad summers can reach 50 degrees, and we didn’t have AC. My dad would tell me that if I got used to it, I could play in the hot sun. Years passed, and I got a college tennis opportunity.

It changed everything. I went there, and my tennis game completely transformed. The coaches were amazing; they helped me so much. I was a different person. My first time flying was to the US, at 16, for college. Sixteen! I was terrified, so young, and I’d never even been on a plane. And I definitely couldn’t afford the ticket. Someone else paid for it. It was all thanks to the help of friends, that coach I mentioned, and so many others.

People always seemed to come through at the right moment. We just believed that if we kept working hard, someone would help us. We even thought, “Maybe God will send help.” That’s what we truly believed. Going to the US was a culture shock. I had no idea what pasta or bread was. I struggled with the food for a whole year. There was no plan for me, no support system. I was gaining weight, eating only sweets.

College was full of challenges, but my coaches were like a second family. They really helped me develop my game. I still go back to see them; they’re always so welcoming. Those four years… and then I came back. Looking back, I can’t believe how far I’ve come, considering where I started. People never thought I would make it. They told me I wouldn’t.

I remember when I changed my forehand grip at 15. Fifteen! I had three months to learn the new grip, compete in tournaments, get a ranking, and pass the college entrance exams. Everyone said it was impossible. “You’re 15,” they said. “Maya’s already at this level at 15!” I didn’t even have a ranking. But I was determined. I said, “No, I’m doing this.” My dad… he writes everything down. He says my story would make a great autobiography or even a movie. He really believes in me.

You know, sometimes I think about it… how far I’ve come. It’s… I never thought I’d get this far.

So, what’s the dream now?

I guess it’s the same dream I had when I was ten: keep working hard, and the results will come. Don’t chase the results, don’t get too attached to the outcome. That’s what I was doing when things were going well, so I need to keep that same belief. It’s hard, but I have to. Keep working hard, trust the process, and see what happens.

College tennis… that was a turning point. We were so broke, we couldn’t even afford to travel to tournaments. We were trying to figure out what to do next, how to turn pro. Someone told us about college scholarships, getting a degree… a way to play and see what happens. Then there was Ashwin Vijayaraghavan. He played Davis Cup. He was working with us, one of his first athletes. He helped us financially. He was so kind and supportive. He got me into college. The coach there was his former coach. He just gave his word because I had no ranking, no ITF Juniors, nothing to prove I was good enough.

He took a chance on me. He thought I’d be playing sixth in the lineup, just there to fill a spot. And then… I beat the number one player. He was so impressed. I started playing three my freshman year, and then number one for the next three years. That’s how it happened.

I used to see other players, so young, already competing. And I’d think, “What can I do? I can’t change the past. I didn’t have the same resources.” But you know what? If I had had everything, maybe I wouldn’t have worked so hard. The challenges I faced made me who I am today, both as a person and a player. I’m grateful for that. It’s tough, though. Sometimes I think, “I’ve come this far, been through so much, and I’m still not winning.” It creeps in sometimes.

But then I have to remind myself: “You’re playing at a big stage. Wins and losses happen. Keep going. Be grateful to be here. So many players would kill to be in this position.” That’s what keeps me going.

The transition from college to the pros was brutal. In college, everything was taken care of. Then suddenly, I had to buy my own strings, and I didn’t have any money. I came back to India in 2022, after losing in qualifying. I asked my dad to coach me. We were just trying to figure it out. There were four W15 tournaments in India. I played them all. The first three weeks, I lost in the second & first round. I was panicking. “I have to do something,” I thought. “No one’s going to sponsor me if I keep losing.” Then, the fourth week… I don’t know what happened. I was like a different person. I beat all the other title winners from the previous weeks and won the tournament. It was unbelievable.

But everyone said it was a fluke. Then I Came back to play 2 W25s. First W25, I drew Karman Kaur Thandi in the first round. I grew up watching Karman and like, seeing how she was doing in the big stage. So it was like, I mean, I was playing freely and then I lost a close three setter.

That hurt me really bad. I was like sitting the whole week and watching Karman play and she wins the title. I was like, if I won that match, maybe I would have won the title. Right? I wanted that title so badly. And then I was just imagining myself there in place of her.

Next week comes I draw Karman again in the first round. I beat her and then I win the title. I realized at that time. How powerful your mind can be, right? How much you can manifest what your life can turn out to be.

After that, things started to change. People started to notice me. But it was all so mental. Winning that first title, getting a 500 WTA ranking… I’d never experienced anything like it. The pressure was immense. I felt like I had to prove myself every week. It was so tough. It was all up and down. I didn’t have the experience to handle it. But I kept learning, kept trying to get better.

Every week, there was something new, some lesson to learn. This journey… I never imagined I’d come this far. This is my fourth year. I’m so happy. I want to see how much potential I have, how far I can go. I don’t care about anyone else’s journey. I want to see what I can do. If I came from where I came from, and I’ve made it this far, then anyone can do it. It’s not about money. It’s all about the mind.