Post Ahmedabad move, Nagpur's Kashit Nagrale eyes top 120 ITF junior ranking

NAGPUR: Kashit Nagrale was slogging for years at a tennis club in Nagpur. He even went on to win a state tournament and was also in a camp for nationals a couple of years ago. He regularly traveled to other cities for tournaments. Looking at the growing competition, his parents realized that they will have to move Kashit to another city for him to pursue the sport at ITF circuit.

They decided to shift him to Ahmedabad and admitted him into Alexander Waske Tennis University, a professional academy that has produced many top-rated players. Within a year of moving to Gujarat, the 16-year-old has played three ITF junior tournaments and has a semifinal finish in the one played in Dehradun last week. With this, Kashit became the only Nagpur player among boys to have a top-4 finish in an ITF tournament in the last decade.

"Within three tournaments, he has one last-four finish and in other two meets, he played prequarters. It shows the Ahmedabad move was in the right direction," said his father Kapil.

Kashit, while talking to TOI from Ahmedabad, said, "Currently, my aim is to break into the top 125 ranking in ITF junior. For that, I will have to play maximum tournaments. I am planning to travel to Asian countries and a podium finish will help improve my rankings."

The reason maximum players eye top-125 ranks is that it helps them stay in contention for top-rated junior international tournaments, informed Kashit's father.

During his growing years, Kashit took training from Santosh Chatterjee and Ajay Neware and made significant growth. Chatterjee, a renowned tennis coach in Nagpur, still helps Kashit as and when he needs.

With many players moving to Pune and Ahmedabad to pursue the sport professionally, TOI tried to talk to Nagpur District Hardcourt Tennis Association officials to know the reason behind it.

"As a player grows and aspires to play at higher levels, he seeks professional coaching. Players also need peers who play at the ITF circuit regularly. As we all know, good practice partners and inputs from coaches always help in surviving at the ITF circuit. Many players from Nagpur have shifted to professional academies in Pune and Ahmedabad. This way, they try to shape their career professionally," said an official.