Mummy returns

Nirupama now cherishes every moment like it is her last,as she knows now that this is the absolute twilight of her long career. I8217;m making the most of every second spent on court and I feel great. I am hitting the ball harder now than I did ten years ago, says Nirupama,who is returning from retirement after a seven year layoff.

And if you still doubt her efforts,then just pay a visit to the hardcourts at the Balewadi Sports complex. The 33-year-old former professional practices with girls almost half her age,matching them shot for shot. While Nirupama teaches them a valuable lesson in courage and motivation,her child Sahana can be seen cheering her mother on from the sidelines.

When did she decide to return to the sport she bid adieu to in 2003? Never,it just happened. Nirupama had no intention of returning to the tennis court. When she did officially come back,it was a result of her compulsive need to be fit and an unquenchable thirst for competition. I never meant to make a comeback. I just wanted to get fit and stay healthy. Fitness was my main goal and the best way to achieve this was by playing tennis. Recreational tennis,however,just never did it for me and I wanted to play some tournaments, she says.

Nirupama feels that women8217;s tennis in India has only gotten better since her playing days,especially due to the emergence of Sania Mirza. When I played,people always underestimated us women. So when Sania arrived on the scene,it was a very good thing, she says. However,Sania seemed to be fighting a lone battle when Shikha Uberoi and Sunitha Rao were rendered ineligible to play for the nation. This gave Nirupama some more motivation to represent the country and take her own game forward.

Thus,the casual,one hour-a-day rallying turned into a full blooded training regime with a goal to get back on to the competition court. The first hurdle for her was the biggest one to get back into shape after child-birth. My pregnancy was rough and I started having a lot of health issues. So the first thing I did was to hit the gym and get myself stronger and fitter. I hired a personal trainer who understood that the key to my equation was to get strong enough so that I didn8217;t get injured on court. This was the major difference related to training between now and a decade ago, she said.

The hard work bore fruit quite quickly,as she lost nine kgs and graduated to on-court training. Her powerful double hand backhand was back in action,one that has been a trait in her family,which boasts of top level players like KG Suresh and KG Ramesh.

The training has been hectic,to say the least. Her alarm goes off an hour earlier than the other players,as Nirupama first tends to her daughter8217;s needs,before getting herself ready for an early breakfast. After two and a half hours of rigorous training,she visits the medical centre to take care of the minor niggles,which is soon followed by lunch. The afternoon rest period when her team-mates are fast asleep Nirupama spends quality time with family.

Since most of her time is spent on the court,it became difficult for Nirupama to adjust to her new lifestyle. She has managed to adapt though,and bring about a healthy balance between motherhood and professional tennis,thanks to strong family support. To manage the equation with tennis and home is quite tough,but thankfully I have a very strong support system. My husband helps me out quite a bit and my brother helps me on court and has even sponsored my racquets and equipment. So these are the reasons why I am able to handle it. And the time spent with my daughter bring moments of peace which refresh me for the hectic day, she says.

All her efforts are now towards a successful return at the Games. According to her,what she lacks in the fitness department is made up for with her experience. That8217;s the beauty of the game,with a solid match-plan and good mental strength,one can overcome drawbacks, she said. Come October 12,Nirupama will once again,participate in the mixed-doubles event,this time with Rohan Bopanna.

Looking to recreate history,she hits the gym regularly in the afternoons for a heavy workout,before heading back to the hostel for a light snack. Having been a professional tennis player in the 1990s,Nirupama is assured that the facilities and the general situation of players has improved drastically. We have the luxury of a masseur and a physiotherapist at our beck and call,something that we didn8217;t have when I started out. As a player,I wouldn8217;t be found cribbing. But what about the controversies in New Delhi surrounding the Games? I don8217;t pay attention to the controversies that much. We have top-notch facilities all under one roof and great coaches to guide us. Tennis wise,we have nothing to complain about and that is all we care about, she says,bringing the focus right back on the task at hand.

The day crawls to a tiring end. But it is the moment after dinner that really keeps her grounded. For this is the time she and her daughter fill in the puzzle books,with the crayons that she bought in San Francisco.