City player, Sonal Patil played with much more patience in final and which helped her to topple top seed, Lakshmi Prabha in a match which lasted for two hours and 15 minutes.
Born in Kolhapur, Patil shifted her base to Pune four years back with the aim of getting advanced tennis facilities. Patil is training with coach Hemant Bendrey since the time she has come to Pune.
How did you prepare yourself for the final?
I knew my mistakes from my previous matches. Today I had kept the ball within the courts and was placing it much better than previous matches.
How did you manage to overcome from 4-1 down in the first set and 3-love down in the second set?
In the start, I was placing all the ball within her (Lakshmi Prabha) reach which allowed her to play the shots. Later, I changed my style of play and added more variations to the shots. As she (Lakshmi) was playing in an attacking format, I slowed down my game which distracted her game and she started making errors.
On both the occasion (first set and second set) I played with patience which helped me a lot.
{{/usCountry}}On both the occasion (first set and second set) I played with patience which helped me a lot.
{{/usCountry}}Moving forward on what aspects of the game would you like to improve more?
Actually, improvement is required on all the aspects of the game. There is a lot of competitions so you need to keep on improving. I will be working more on the backhand down the line shots.
Improvement in your training after coming to Pune?
First I used to get trained at PYC Gymkhana but now I train at Adar Poonawalla Maharashtra Tennis Academy under the same coach Hemant Bendrey. There are also other coaches within the academy under whom I train. During my initial days at the PYC Gymkhana, I focused on fitness more and then I worked on improving my skills.
How was your experience in this tournament?
It was a competitive tournament. I played some really tough matches. I always enjoyed playing at Ravine hotel tennis courts. Before this victory, I have won the under-10 and under-12 title at the same venue.