Overview

The BITS Pilani Girls’ Tennis team consists of seven members, with third-year undergraduate student Saniya Dasot as captain.  With BOSM approaching, the practice sessions which began in the second week of August have become more rigorous. A regular practice session usually begins around 5:30 in the evening; players warm up with jogging and swing practice. Subsequently, matches are played between team members. Players usually alternate between singles and doubles during match practice, the same pattern as is followed in tournaments. Match practice, according to the captain, is the best way to prepare for tournaments. After three or four matches, the entire team cools down with cross-court running and stretching exercises.

Last year’s BOSM and outstation events saw the tennis team playing many matches that lasted more than three hours. Hence, stamina building has been on top priority for the team this year, and hour long morning sessions are dedicated towards the same. In a departure from tradition, this edition of BOSM may also witness the addition of mixed doubles matches to the tournament.

The team is facing several constraints, mainly in terms of time and resources. Evening practices last for over an hour, and are usually interrupted by rains. Most players have packed schedules which drain them before the sessions even begin. Despite all these hurdles, the team is in high spirits and hopes to perform their best this BOSM.

Past Performance

The team has had a stellar performance in previous editions of BOSM, winning a silver at every tournament for the past five years. Last year, the BITSian team came second after winning against two teams and losing to Venky’s in the finals. In an outstation tournament at IIT Delhi, BITS had to settle for silver again, after losing 2-0 to Ashoka University.

Recruitments

Since tennis is a niche sport, it is no surprise to see that the number of girls who play the game in an engineering college like BITS are quite low. This acts as a hurdle during recruitments, with the team resorting to the option of training girls with little or no expertise, solely on the basis of interest. As a result of this, there is no set procedure for recruitments, though all team members are asked to look out for tennis enthusiasts during interactions. This year, however, the team is extremely lucky to have three new players, all of them with considerable prior experience.

Captain’s Interview

The bubbly and cheerful Saniya Dasot is heading the Girls’ Tennis team this year. Being a member of the Election Commission, Consulting Club, and a third-year Pharmacy student, she manages to find time to balance all her commitments. At times she can be found studying in the Institute Canteen in an attempt to perfect the juggling act.

She respects the mental strength required by the game and the individuality it provides. According to her, tennis is something she enjoys, not something she’d like to pursue professionally. The stress of managing an entire team, however, is evident in her voice. From haggling with the boys’ team over courts to dealing with the prior commitments of team members, Saniya has managed to keep her calm through adversity. She agrees that while being captain is stressful, it has helped improve her game, as she constantly feels that the team members look up to her.

Her experience in managing the team and preparing for the meet has been good because of the presence of senior members in the team who have been guiding her through the decision-making process. As someone who joined the team in her first year, she is fairly confident of the team she has put together, and hopes to win a gold in her tenure as captain.