Pune, April 6 : The Indian women's tennis team is gearing up for the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group I games and will be led by the very experienced Ankita Raina. Along with India, teams from Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and Thailand will feature in the Asia-Oceania Group I, here in Pune.

Ankita, who is ranked 300 in the world in singles as of the end of March, spoke about playing the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group 1 games at home. She said, 'I'm really excited that the Billie Jean King Cup 2025 Asia-Oceania Group 1 games are happening in Pune and it's an honour to be leading the Indian team. I've been a part of the Indian for more than 10 years. It was always a dream to represent my country and I feel blessed to have achieved that.

'This event is conducted at highest level and having it in India is a huge benefit as young players can come in to watch the top 300 ranked players in action. From the Indian team, we would like to congratulate the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association for bringing this prestigious event to India. The more high-quality international tennis that comes here, it is better for the sport,' she added.

Ankita is part of a five-member team including Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari and Prarthana Thombare, with the teenage sensation Maaya Rajeshwaran named as a reserve player.

'When representing their country, everyone always gives it their best on the field of play. And we will all try to do that for sure. When you travel with the Indian team for tournaments, it's a completely different experience, and I am confident that it will help us work better as a team,' Ankita said.

When asked about what she does to keep her calm in high-pressure games, Ankita spoke about the importance of meditation in her life. She said, 'I got introduced to meditation when I was 18 or 20, and it definitely helped in the transition from the junior level to the senior level because that's when you face tougher challenges. You're playing against more experienced players and facing tougher situations and also learning what can be done in the crucial moments of a match. So, I think that's where meditation has helped me stay calm.'

Speaking about the opposition that India will face in the coming week in Pune, Ankita, who took inspiration from the legendary Sania Mirza, explained that no one can be taken lightly. She said, 'All the players who have come here are very good players, and no one will give us an easy game. Last year, I played against Lulu Sun of New Zealand, who played the qualifier at Wimbledon and then went on to make it to the semi-finals. So, that is the quality of players who are here.'

/IANS