Forged in Fire: Tennis

Quietly working their way back to the spotlight, the Ashoka tennis team is gearing up for an action-packed Agneepath. The women’s contingent, led by the steady presence of captain Anika Urs and the fiery drive of vice-captain Anushka Garimella, alongside the Men's unit, captained by the ever-so calm Arya Shah and their vice-captain Vaibhav Jain are stronger than ever going into the 2026 edition of their home tournament. 

When asked about the squad, the leadership was more than eager to give their players their flowers. With a much larger squad than before at 10 players, the women’s tennis contingent sought character and commitment in their trials over elite talent. Talent can win you matches, but character lasts you a lifetime. With several first-year players, some reinvigorated seniors, and a new mentality, the women’s tennis team appears to be a force to reckon with in the 2025-26 season.

The men’s team combines seasoned experience in Sarthak Gandhi, Mihir Aggarwal and Arya Shah with emerging talents like Naman Anshumann, all eager to stake their claim in Ashokan tennis. As quality talent and big personalities join the ranks, the team is eager to announce itself, and home turf offers the perfect stage.

Following the graduation of stalwarts Deepika, Ishpreet and Pranav Koka at the end of last academic year, the team has had a void which they appear to have made up for in diverse personalities. The two squads experienced contrasting fortunes over the course of the season. While the women’s team endured an unfortunate early exit at IIT Roorkee, hampered by the steep climb they faced from the outset, Anika & co. showed admirable resilience to bounce back and clinch silver at Shiv Nadar University’s Surge in late November. The men, meanwhile, enjoyed success at Roorkee with a gold medal but found Shiv Nadar a tougher outing, bowing out after a loss to Khalsa, a side that has repeatedly had the edge over them. Speaking to Arya Shah, he reflected that had they managed to clear that hurdle, the tournament was very much there for the taking.

In terms of standout players, Anushka was quick to speak about 3rd-year Saima Mehta, who has braved a recurring knee injury and taken up a bigger role in the team this year. The duo also heaped praise on sophomore Harsimar, who is in her first year on the tennis team following a stint in the table tennis contingent in her freshman year. Anika termed her “an exciting and versatile player” who only needs match experience to reach greater heights. Vaibhav highlighted second-year transfer Arnav Yadav, whose impact has been immediate, praising not just his ability but also a refreshing, almost Kyrgios-esque energy that has lifted the squad. 

Although the team comes off a mixed bag of results, it remains firmly forward-looking rather than results-driven. The focus is on continuous improvement and working harder together for the next challenge. Vaibhav notes that this mindset is now an integral part of the team’s culture, crediting former leadership for instilling it. Reflecting on his own journey, Vaibhav shared that he once struggled to move past losses during his school tennis years, but his time competing for Ashoka has helped him overcome that hurdle, aided by the strong team environment of collegiate tennis.

The leadership has increasingly focused on creating an environment that is safe and transcends the sport within the team this year. There was a constant emphasis on friendship beyond the court, and that appears to have helped their on-court dynamics as well. For a sport that, in reality, is an individual sport, the team dynamic helps establish a space where they are not alone. Amidst all the mental ardour of those long hours on the court, knowing that they too belong to a unit is a feeling that will help the player push through in the toughest of times. This is exactly the feeling the leadership wants to tap into.

Owing to infrastructural and logistical constraints, the tennis teams often find themselves limited by space and time. With 15 to 20 players sharing a single court, extracting meaningful value from training sessions becomes a challenge, leaving little opportunity for focused coaching or attention to individual weaknesses. This shortage of court time is particularly restrictive for newer recruits still looking to refine their games, making the lack of facilities a significant obstacle to player development. Despite this, the leadership has emphasised a renewed focus on fundamentals under pressure, such as footwork, with Anika noting that captains have frequently had to step into quasi-coaching roles to bridge the gap.

In looking forward to Agneepath, the team remains hopeful as ever. With a new format that will involve a mixed team event with the men’s team, the dynamics become a whole lot trickier with endless permutations and combinations to be tinkered with. This leaves the women in a tricky position as not only do they need to manage intra-group dynamics now, but larger inter-group sensitivities too. Yet, it is precisely this collective challenge that has brought the squad closer together. With both teams aligned and embracing the demands of the new format, the group heads into Agneepath united, confident that home conditions and shared purpose can translate into a medal.

There is a cause for concern with the court, however. Owing to Ashoka’s open-air court, it becomes extremely susceptible to environmental influence. This means conditions are variable. Days are dry and bouncy, whereas dew accumulates in the evenings, and the ball moves much quicker at night. Topspin is something to watch out for when the sun is out.

In looking ahead post-Agneepath in a heavy semester, the leadership is excited to say the least. Anika, in her last four months, wants to maximise her chances by playing as many tournaments with a team that looks poised to bring home some silverware. Incumbent captain, Anushka, has a lot of big ideas for next year. She wants to work on building a larger team culture that includes warm-ups and cooldowns as a unit, as well as training together in the gym and on the court. Elaborate warmups and strong S&C in a well-rounded training regime are primary in her vision.

When asked about tennis culture at Ashoka, the duo painted a saddened look. They mentioned a certain underwhelmingness to its lack of traction. While intra-college events like Batch championships, RSL, and Pickleball Open all help with traction, they hope more people come to watch what is a truly beautiful sport to watch, with the writers holding the same view. Lastly, when asked if there was anything they wanted the readers to know, the duo said, “If anyone wants to learn tennis, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would love to help you learn our favourite sport.” 

Let’s all go watch the Tennis Team smash it home at Agneepath this weekend!