Tennis is a beautiful sport, from the fantastic athletes that choose the sport to the game itself. Hyderabad has had a history with the sport, but with Sai Dedeepya, the city's legacy with Tennis is alive, well and secure for the future.

15 year old Sai Dedeepya Yeddula recently ranked number 1 in the All India Tennis Association National Girls Under 16 Category, we speak with the bubbly teenager on her thoughts on the achievement and her future plans. 

"I started playing tennis when I was in 5th class, I was 10 years old at the time," she says on the start of her tennis career. Dedeepya is a part of the Sinnet Tennis Academy and trains under chief coach Ravi Chander Rao. 

"My father has been a huge inspiration for me, he's always encouraged me through difficult times, and I can say with confidence that he is my biggest inspiration," she says. 

The 15 year old is a student at Sarojini Naidu Vanita Vidyalaya, after finishing schooling recently. On her daily routine, she says, "There's one hour of physical, then 2 hours of playing tennis. Then I rush off to college and then in the evening, another 2 hours of Tennis."

Dedeepya does manage to fit fun time for herself in her hectic schedule, "I enjoy watching TV and dancing," she says, when asked about her hobbies,"I don't particularly watch a channel, I keep browsing through the channels, but I really enjoy dancing, it is quite exciting."

Dedeepya aims for the stars, when asked where she sees herself in 5 years, the youngster replied without a second's hesitation, "I hope to win medal for the country at the Olympics, and refine my game as much as I can."

Sai Dedeepya is an example of achieving greatness in her chosen sport, and an example for many youngsters to follow in her footsteps, with the same dedication, love and respect she has for the game. We wish her all the best!