Sisters Soniya and Shreya Yalamanchili continue their tennis training despite a constantly changing sports world.

Nikki Skyer, Sports Editor

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, major changes have been necessary in various facets of life. Sports, of course, are no exception to that. For serious players, stopping their training is simply not an option. There are tournaments to prepare for, opportunities to receive, and goals to reach. As for sisters Soniya and Shreya Yalamanchili, time is of the essence in order to improve their tennis skills. 

At the beginning of the pandemic, around late March, the girls’ training had to become completely virtual. There was little knowledge about COVID-19, meaning they would need to wait until factual information could ensure their safety enough to return to training in person. Players scrambled to adapt to the abrupt halt to their work and began finding a rhythm through their uncertainty. 

“Our fitness coach would lead Zoom calls having us do workout sessions together when we could not do them in person,” junior Shreya Yalamanchili said. 

Their training would also occasionally include mental training, such as watching and studying videos of other practice matches. This change was difficult for many, but also gave players a rare opportunity to try out a new style of training. The shift took senior Soniya Yalamanchili a little while to get used to.  In fact, she did not mind the break from regular training, as it gave her time to get stronger and faster by doing more off-court conditioning than she usually had the time to do. 

“I found myself getting fitter over the break, and when we finally got back to normal practice, I felt like I was in great shape to play,” Soniya Yalamanchili said. 

Fortunately, virtual training did not last too long and the girls of the tennis academy were able to return to their more familiar in-person style practice during the summer. Shreya Yalamanchili was happy to get back to normal practices pretty quickly. She mainly participates in United States Tennis Association (USTA) tournaments, which had added precautions going into the season. Tennis is already a socially distant sport, so it was not difficult for organizations to adhere to official COVID-19 guidelines. 

“Because tennis does not require any direct person-to-person contact, players can enjoy the many physical and mental benefits that tennis offers so long as you practice physical distancing by keeping six feet apart from other players,” USTA.com said.

The tennis season is already beginning to give players a sense of normalcy, while simultaneously being cautious and keeping them healthy. Soniya Yalamanchili participated in a tournament in South Carolina the weekend of Sept. 5 and reflected positively on the situation. Everyone wore masks, maintained their social distancing practices, and anybody who felt sick stayed home.

“There have been no reported cases or symptoms, and I think it was really well handled,” Soniya Yalamanchili said. 

Senior Soniya Yalamanchili strives to continue playing despite quarantine barriers.

Photo courtesy of Soniya Yalamanchili

The players are optimistic that their seasons will continue, so long as everyone stays safe and practices good habits. Shreya Yalamanchili has had a love for the sport for around 11 years and has no plans of losing her passion any time soon. She is hopeful to see what the season ahead brings and anticipates it to be a successful one. Soniya Yalamanchili is also feeling fortunate that she will likely be able to complete her senior season, despite all of the challenges presented to her this year. She hopes to continue playing in college, although she is not quite sure where that will take place yet. The pair has a bright future ahead of them, and will no doubt thrive in the tennis world, regardless of what other difficulties may lie ahead.