Radhika Tulpule sets eyes on grooming champions

Pune, Aug 16 (UNI) Former national women's champion Radhika Tulpule, after bidding adieu to active tennis, has now launched upon a mission to groom young girls into champions.

A level two certified coach of the ITF and AITA, Radhika, who herself has been groomed in the Deccan Gymkhana courts here, has now decided to channelise her energies to promote and produce champions in women's tennis.

Talking to UNI after returning from her tour of Europe as coach of the Under-14 Asian girls team, Radhika said she always had a burning desire to be the champion and that passion is still alive.

''Sania Mirza's achievements have catapulted Indian tennis to new heights and I would like to do the same for the promotion and proliferation of women's tennis in the country,'' Radhika said.

''I have the desire to give back to the game whatever I have gained from it in my decade-and-half active tennis career,'' she said.

Radhika has the distinction of having played at the Centre Court of the world-famed Wimbledon. She is now assistant to ace tennis coach Nandan Bal who is in-charge of the Indian Davis Cup squad. She had won the junior Australian Open in 2000 and had been a member of the Indian women's team for the Federation Cup. She had attained the WTA ranking of 473 in women's singles and 438 in doubles. She has won eleven national championships since 1995 in various age groups.

She had also lead Maharashtra women's team in the National Games at Manipur in 1999.

Radhika is the recepient of the Shiv Chhatrapati award in 1999-2000. This apart, she has won the Pune International Marathon Trust's best sportswoman award for 2000, ''Pune Ki Asha'' award in 1998 and the ''Tulja Bhavani'' award in 2001.

UNI IS MAZ DH KN1738