Nirupama lands Rs 4 lakh grant

Towards that end, she has already made a breakthrough when Anil Khanna, honorary secretary, Delhi Tennis Association, announced a grant of Rs 2 lakh for the current year. A similar amount has also been committed by the All India Tennis Association (AITA). It is expected that the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) will also chip in with Rs 2 lakh taking the total to Rs 6 lakh.

Nirupama’s father hopes to clinch a firm sponsorship deal before the family leaves for hometown Coimbatore on January 27, Nirupama became the first Indian woman in the Open Era to win a first round match in a Grand Slam when she beat Italian World No 86 Gloria Pizzichini in three sets in the Australian Open. She also landed her biggest paycheck of $ 9000, and her ranking, now 196, is expected to go up at least 35 rungs after that upset win.

Nirupama, now training with Dave O’ Meara at the Country Club of Sarasota, Florida, said her goal is to make it to the top 50 this year.

Asked what separated her from players in the top 50, she said mobility was a major area she had to work on. “Being able to move at that pace and intensity for three sets will make all the difference.”

Looking back on last year, Nirupama said that she had aimed to make it to the top 100, but slipped at 134. “It was a learning process. But now I’m very confident, and Dave is a great disciplinarian, so I just need to stick with it,” she said.

Nirupama will return to the Capital on February 8 for the camp ahead of the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania qualifying round to be held in Bangkok from February 16 to 22. But right now, she is planning to just “hang out” in Coimbatore, and spend time with her family, before she gets back to office.