Somewhere in 2013, Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale lost 1-6, 3-6 in a Billie Jean King Cup (then known as Fed Cup) Asia-Oceania tie to Kazakhstan. Since then, Raina has participated in 49 more Fed Cup ties, which includes spearheading India, alongside Sania Mirza, to their first-ever Billie Jean King Cup playoffs in 2020-21.
Just hit the accelerator pedal to take a flight back to 2025, and the 32-year-old Raina is still a key member of the Indian team that will play in the playoffs against Slovenia and the Netherlands, in Bengaluru. In all those 12 years, the unmistakable diligence of Raina hasn’t changed one bit.
In one of the practice sessions on Wednesday, she was kind of wrong-footed. The very next second, Raina muttered a few words before getting back to her normal self. It was a mere net session but that spark in her eyes to upskill could still be observed.
Yes, India are the outsiders in this group, but Raina, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Prarthana Thombare and co. seem to be quietly confident. In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, Raina also noted that they are trying to take inspiration from the Indian Women’s cricket team’s World Cup triumph.
“I will say the atmosphere is great because you know Indian women’s cricket has had such a great performance,” she noted. “Their victory has boosted and pumped all of us. And the fact that we are having the Billie Jean King Cup playoffs in India is a huge thing. Thanks to ITF and KSLTA for having this opportunity. And it is the second time in history that we are in this position. I would say the atmosphere in the team is great.”
The essence of Raina’s recent victories in the World Cup of tennis has been her doubles partnership with Prarthana. The doubles pair overcame Patcharin Cheapchandej and Peangtarn Plipuech of Thailand followed by defeating South Korea’s Park So-hyun and Kim Da-bin to seal the deal for India.
The pairing comes across as a ballad of Raina’s service returns and counterpunching skills alongside Prarthana’s net game. “You know, we both have played in the Asian Games and represented India in the past years,” said Raina. “The thing with Prarthana is she is very unpredictable at the net, that is her plus point. I think the combination of her game and my game works well together.”
She also praised the entire team for steering India into the playoffs. “You know it is all a team effort,” she said. “First, the girls played singles – Shrivalli and Sahaja. Then Vaidehi in one or two ties. Then me and Prarthana, we have played together for a long time, I think that helps. We know what we are thinking in crucial moments. That is what helps in crucial points. I think Korea were in the same position in Uzbekistan in 2023. This time, we were in the same position. Everyone has nerves and all of that. I would say it was a team effort.”
Raina also shared a couple of evocative memories from the match versus South Korea. And the bubbly enthusiasm with which she said it spoke volumes about her unyielding love for the game. “The last point that Prarthana hit, a return of serve down the line, the opponent had moved,” she remarked. “And the other one was the volley I made which was literally on my face.”
Raina also commended Vishal Uppal, the team’s captain, for acting as the guiding light. “Vishal sir has been with the girls for a couple of years,” she pointed out. “He knows all of us, he knows our games. And the spirit that he brings to the team is what we need in the Billie Jean King Cup.”
Meanwhile, Uppal had this to say about the team’s preparations in the press conference. “We have been monitoring the players, keeping tabs on where everyone is playing,” he said. “We came together 10 days ago and have been working as a group. And the reason we are here is due to our teamwork.”
Explaining self-belief or lack of is like finding yourself in a mysterious land. You never know when it will light up or when it will get switched off. With Raina, even when she battled through tough times, she didn’t lose hope. More than all those ITF titles, or wins over Sabine Lisicki, Sam Stosur and Sara Errani, her passion for the sport has remained undimmed. She will need all of that zeal and vigour in the playoffs where India start as the underdogs.
“As long as you maintain your fitness, you can keep going,” said Raina. “Obviously, when you’re playing two matches in a day, you need to focus more on your recovery.”
For latest sports updates: Follow RevSportz