India's No.1 women's single Tennis player looks upto Virat Kohli for inspiration

Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian cricket team, is one of the most successful athletes to have emerged from the country. He’s a top performer, absolute hard worker and is at the pinnacle in his trade – batting. Kohli is an inspiration for not just the cricketers but other individuals plying their trade in different sports for India as well. India’s tennis ace Anikta Raina currently ranked No.1 in women’s singles in the country is one of those who seek inspiration from the world’s best batsman.

Ankita after earning a lot of success at the junior level made her professional debut in 2009 at an ITF tournament in Mumbai. Advancing gradually in her career, the 25-year-old has by far won six singles and 13 doubles ITF tour titles. Her most recent appearances were the French Open and Wimbledon this year where she played the qualifiers. Raina will now feature in the Asian Games in Indonesia and the Indian contingent will have a lot of hopes from the dynamic right-hander.

Not a cricket fan but watch Kohli

She is largely inspired by two of the greatest tennis players of all time Serena Williams and Roger Federer. When asked if she follows any other sport and a personality who has made an impact on her she named a host of Indian players the like of Sania Mirza from her own sport to boxer Mary Kom.

In the end, Raina specifically mentioned that though she isn’t a big-time cricket fan but likes to watch when Virat Kohli is in action and also praised him for the way he handles pressure.

“For me this is how it works, if any Indian does well at the international level it gives me that extra motivation and push to get better and makes my belief stronger. So be it Sania Mirza, Yuki Bhambri, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Hima Das, Mary Kom, etc.

I do follow a bit of cricket sometimes but only when the players I like are in action and one of them is Virat Kohli. I think one has a lot to learn from him, the way he handles pressure and also I’ve seen his interviews, one can see that he is a player of a different league completely,” Ankita said in an exclusive interview with Sports Mirchi.

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