After Maaya Rajeshwaran’s impressive run at the WTA Mumbai Open, we caught up with her coach, Manoj, who has been working with her for many years. He shared his insights on Maaya’s journey and what lies ahead for her.
Interviewer: Could you start by telling us something about yourself, your background, and where your academy is based?
Manoj: Well, I teach in Coimbatore and run an academy called Pro Serve Tennis Academy. I have been teaching for the past 27 years. During my playing days, I competed quite a bit—played in the Asian Games in 1986, was ranked in the top four, won the national doubles title in the early 1990’s. I was on the circuit for about 24 years.
In Coimbatore, we have three centers, each handling a different category of players. Over the years, I have worked with quite a number of kids, some of whom have done well. The current U-18 champion, Kandhavel, has been training with us. Previously, we had a player named Sudanwa Sitaram, who competed in all four Grand Slams. Quite a few kids have come through the academy, but in terms of performance, I would say Maaya stands out the most.
Interviewer: When Maaya first came to you, was it her game or her personality that stood out the most?
Manoj: In fact, what was really striking about her was her confidence in herself. I genuinely feel that she carries herself well, and I’ve never noticed any negative attitude. She is always willing to do whatever it takes to improve. I’ve never seen her miss a session unless she’s unwell. She grasps things very easily. We made a few changes, and I was surprised at the speed with which she could adapt to different things. I think that’s what really stood out about her.
Interviewer: From an outsider’s perspective, her technique looks good. What are the areas you feel need improvement? Are there any technical aspects you’re currently working on with her?
Manoj: She appears to have a very big game, but there are areas she needs to work on. Definitely her serve—it’s quite powerful, but I still feel the percentages need to go up. She also needs to work on her volley skills. Overall, she can improve in every department. To compete at a higher level, she obviously needs to work on every aspect of her game. Most importantly, she needs to take care of her body.
Interviewer: What’s the advice that you would like to give her ?
Manoj: The first thing I would like to tell her is to stay grounded. Yes, her performance at the Mumbai Open was nothing short of exceptional. Frankly, playing there wasn’t part of the original calendar, and it was only because of the wildcard she received that we decided to participate. Basically, we were back in India to get her visa sorted. Thanks to MSLTA and Sunder Iyer Sir for the opportunity—it was well justified.
Interviewer: In terms of her schedule, do you think she should focus on playing juniors or women’s tournaments? What are your thoughts on that?”
Manoj: She should definitely compete in events which are challenging for her. Being 15 years old, I think there is a limitation on women’s tournaments. So she should max out on number of tournaments that she can play in the women’s circuit and add it with the junior tournaments. Career growth, Till now has been exceptional but lot more needs to be done and still a long way away from being called as a very good tennis player. She needs to work a lot harder. More than anything else, Staying fit and injury free is the key. So she needs to have a proper schedule and I am sure being there at the Rafa Nadal Academy would sort out these things.
Interviewer: Any funny advice or unknown things about Maaya that you would like to share
Manoj: She likes to eat a lot, Chocolates. On court she is very intense but she is pretty fun kid.