Neyara — Sri Lanka’s ‘Serena’ in the making
Her career took a turn during her stint in Spain. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Grit and determination are two qualities that sporting personalities should have if they are dreaming of having a long and successful career. Tennis star Neyara Weerawansa is one such athlete who possesses a majority of these qualities, and she has reaped the rewards for the dedication and commitment that she has shown ever since her parents noticed her passion and enthusiasm towards the sport.
Having started her career at an early age, Neyara was quick to grasp the basics of tennis and due to that she was able to participate in her first tournament at junior level when she was only nine-years-old.
Recalling her memories from that tournament she said that her sole intention was to enjoy the outing and she was pleased about the fact that her dream of playing in a tournament became a reality within a short period of time. Just as her love for tennis, she also gave priority for swimming. But unfortunately Neyara had to give up swimming, because the two sports conflict technically.
As time went by she was introduced to Sudantha Soysa, one of the few Sri Lankans to represent the country at the Wimbledon. Neyara, who was under close supervision, believed that her coach’s passion and the desire pushed her forward and enabled her to take the game to the next level. It was the time that Neyara realised that she was on course to become a professional tennis player which was her childhood dream. Neyara already knew that she was going to peruse a career as a professional tennis player.
She idolised Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer and Russia’s Maria Sharapova, and she was determined to follow their footsteps as she continued to prosper. In 2017, her coach at the time, Barathi Chris Pillai, felt that Neyara needed to get overseas exposure if she has to compete at top level. Her life took a turn after she decided to leave the country.
“It was a collective decision taken by my coaches and parents as they wanted me to stay in Spain. It really helped me to take my game to the next level,” recalling her turning point, Neyara said.
Expressing her thoughts on the level of tennis in Spain, Neyara said that the standards are at a much higher level as they have ample funding to uplift the sport and the level of competition is also at a much higher compared to Sri Lanka.
During her stay in Spain, Neyara was under the close supervision of former Spanish tennis legends Juan Balcells and David Olles. She tasted success in Barcelona and she regarded it as the turning point of her illustrious career.
After spending two years in Spain, Neyara returned home with a wealth of experience under her belt. Less than two months after her return to Sri Lanka, she won her first title, which was the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Open. She also won the Colombo Open.
Neyara believes that the level of exposure that she got from Spain enabled her to win the titles here in 2020. As she was away from the country, she had lost all the points that she had gained in local tournaments. Due to that she had to start from the middle of the draw.
“Leading up to the tournament, I was quite confident that I will do something significant, but at the same time I was a bit nervous as this was the first tournament held upon my return to the country. Beating Heshani Imanga in the finals was quite satisfying,” Neyara stated.
Acclimatising to the weather conditions in Sri Lanka was a challenge to her. Fortunately it didn’t affect her on field performances. Apart from being in Spain, Neyara had international exposure in Qatar, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.
Although Neyara didn’t have fitness issues, her career was hampered by injuries. She suffered two tears in her lower abdomen in 2017 and 2019. She had to undergo a surgery to her left wrist in 2018 while in Spain. It was quite a depressing period for the aspiring youngster. During her rehabilitation period her mother had acted as a source of motivation and she believes that it was one of the main reasons for her quick recovery.
In the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) rankings in 2017 Neyara was placed fourth in the Women’s Singles category and it is one of her highest achievements in tennis. Neyara, who is a proud product of the British School in Colombo, felt that most local schools produce quality players. But they are heavily reliant on private academies. Since tennis is a technical sport it is important to learn the basics at an early age.
“The early you start the better it is,” she said.
She is known to be an athletic tennis player during her childhood. Her coaches had regarded her as a player with natural born talent. Similarly she craves other local coaches to nurture and guide the next generation of players up to the national level.
One of the main challenges that tennis encounters is the lack of funds. According to Neyara it is a major hindrance to move forward as it is considered to be one of the most expensive sports in the world. Neyara also elaborated on the need of unity among the tennis fraternity. If everything falls in place she is hopeful that the future of tennis will glow brightly.
She stressed about the need of overseas exposure for players and also said that she loves to see more girls enjoy the sport. This young tennis player who started her professional tennis career at the age of 13 is now set to write a new chapter in her life as she is leaving to USA to peruse her degree in Psychology and at the same time with the intention of continuing to play for the university. She is willing to represent her country if the university allows her to do so.
She also commended Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) for their efforts taken to develop the sport island-wide. Neyara hopes to join SLTA after completing her degree to impart her tennis knowledge to the next generation of players and assist them with their psychological requirements to get the best out of them.