Tennis prodigy Rishabh

Sixteen-year-old Rishab Agarwal started playing tennis since the age of five at the A.S. Tennis academy. And there has been no looking back for him.

He now plays under Neela Kanteshwara Rao at Sanjeevaiah Park.  His coaches, school and college management have been very supportive and have encouraged him to become an International level tennis player.

Achievements:
Bringing laurels to his parents, this resident of Begumpet has become a name to be reckoned in International tennis due to his hard work and dedication.  Last year, Rishab was the runner up for Adidas Nationals, under 18, held in Chennai.  He is ranked number two in India and number 89 in the under 18 category, in the world.  He also played in the Australian Open Grand Slam Tournament, in the Junior's category. In the last 10 International Tennis Federation tournaments, Rishab has won two tournaments, he has been the runner up in the other five and a quarterfinal player in the rest of the two.

Academics and schedule:  
Rishab practices tennis  everyday for six hours including fitness training in the gym. As he is studying Physics, Chemistry and Maths in college, he devotes sufficient time to his academics as well. He is proud to have scored 93% in his Matriculation and cites Maths and Chemistry as his favourite subjects. "My studies are equally important for me,"he adds.

Future plans:
"I want to become a well-known international tennis player and make my country proud. I whole-heartedly thank my father for supporting me and traveling with me each time I have to go somewhere. My parents are a great support for me, without whom I would not be able to reach  such a position," says Rishabh.
His father, Mukesh Babu said, "I want him to give his best performance in the coming tournaments. I want to see my son reaching the Number One spot amongst the top 10 players in the world. I have seen him improving with each tournament. His dedication and passion towards the sport will take him to a great level."
Success comes to those who strive for it and Rishabh has proved this adage true with his grit and determination.

--Ruchikka Karda