Lanka’s little powerhouse
Eleven-year-old Adithya Karunaratne displays a remarkable measure of confidence and intelligence for her age. Her every word about tennis, a game she has passionately adopted and patiently nurtured, does not tumble out in a hurried jumble of emotion but is added sensibly to a composed assessment of her progress and on-court aspirations. Hearing her speak, there is little mystery as to why she has rapidly emerged as a serious talent on the international junior tennis circuit.
Young Adithya Karunaratne constantly seeks to emulate her idols Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. - Pic by Amila Gamage
Presently based in Hong Kong, Adithya is in Sri Lanka for the Asian Tennis Federation’s Under-14 tournament, through which she is carving her way with her skillful and cerebral stroke-play. Throughout the years her game has created sizable waves of admiration in a sea of local and foreign tennis experts and enthusiasts.
In recent times Adithya has secured a raft of noteworthy accolades, conquering opponents in singles and doubles action in tournaments held in countries such as the United States, the Philippines and Hong Kong.
This success though, Adithya says, has not come at an easy price and demands frequent and intense bouts of training that often extend past four hours. The sacrifices and rigors of tennis were elements of the game she initially had to grapple with.
“Managing my time was very tough at the start but over the years I’ve gotten used to it and it has made me become more independent. Keeping on working on the court though has now made me mentally strong during matches, much more than when I first started out,” Adithya says.
Her natural flair and understanding for the game have also immensely aided her game’s progress. In the heat of battle, these two traits coupled with a profoundly competitive spirit, resonate stronger than anything else from her racquet head. During and between points she is also very expressive and vocal, a feature of her game which conveys her deep love for it.
Adithya in a casual mood - Pic by Athula Devapriya
This fondness was spawned by her sister, Yasodara, whom she used to watch play and pick balls for while she was only three. Those early days scrambling around the court stirred her own love for tennis and it wasn’t long before Adithya was gradually chiseling a reputation for herself as a gritty and gifted player.
She stated that another crucial, yet ironic, characteristic of tennis which bound her tighter to it was its camaraderie, despite the fact that in a match a player lives and dies alone.
“There is a lot of sportsmanship in tennis. On the court we might be rivals but afterwards everything goes back to normal,” Adithya explains.
Her sprightly and fiercely-competitive on-court persona has helped her identify strongly with tenacious stars such as newly-crowned US Open champions Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams. She constantly seeks to emulate their uncompromising work ethic and razor-sharp focus whenever she steps onto the court.
The next challenge which Adithya has set her sights on is the Orange Ball Championship, a tournament noted for serving as one of the early launch pads for Swiss maestro Roger Federer.
With her current run of form and prodigious growth, carefully funneled through all the right training channels by her coaches Bhagat Singh and Benny Lin and supported selflessly by her parents, it is likely that she will not just leave a mark on this competition but on many more to come.
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