Subhash, 14, is on the verge of breaking into the girls top 200 in ITF rankings.
By Sujeet Rajan
NEW YORK: Indian American teenager Natasha Subhash, 14, from Virginia, has created history by winning the girls’ singles and doubles titles, at the 2015 Atlanta ITF tournament, played on hard courts at the Life Time Athletic at Peachtree Corners. Subhash is the first player of Indian-origin to achieve the rare double in an international tennis tournament.
Subhash capped a week of tremendous tennis by clinching the girls’ singles title in the International Tennis Federation tournament on Sunday, beating Layne Sleeth of Canada, 14, in straights 6-3, 6-1, in the final. Subhash was down 1-3 in the first set, before outclassing her opponent. Subhash had beaten the number seeded player in the tournament, Morgan Coppoc, 16, of the US, in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, in the semi-finals.
Subhash dropped only one set in the entire tournament on her way to the singles and doubles championship.
Subhash beat Mary Caroline Meredith, (USA), 6-2, 6-2, in the first round; Tate Schroeder (USA), 6-3, 6-1 in the second round; Alexa Noel (USA), 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the third round; and Ali Collins of Great Britain in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 7-6 (5), before she dispatched Coppoc and Sleeth with ease.
Subhash had on Saturday won the girls’ doubles championship with her long-time playing partner Ann Li (USA), 15, defeating Ali Collins of Great Britain and River Hart of Canada in the final, 6-2, 6-4.
Subhash and Li began their campaign by beating Cameron Compall (USA)/Dante Hart (Canada) 6-2, 6-1 in the first round; Meghana Komarraju/Shelly Yaloz (USA) 7-5, 6-2, in the second round; Chloe Beck and Kacie Harvey (USA) in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-1; and Hailey Baptiste/Alexa Noel of the US in the semi-finals, 6-1, 6-2.
Subhash and Li are now on a 10-0 streak in the doubles, winning their second consecutive ITF tournament, having clinched the Pan American title as well.
Earlier this year, Subhash and Li were on an 18-0 winning run before that streak ended at the US Open in May, in the first round. In that US Open doubles match, Subhash played despite having a knee injury and hours after she had lost her second round singles match.
In a phone interview from South Carolina, where she begins yet another ITF tournament tomorrow, on Monday, Subhash told The American Bazaar that she’s played Sleeth before and so knew her game.
“I’m happy I won the singles and the doubles title,” said Subhash.
Asked what aspect of her game has improved after the US Open, she said: “The US Open gave me a lot of confidence. My movement on court and consistency overall has improved.”
Asked if she intended to keep playing both singles and doubles, or plan to focus only on singles, Subhash, who is on the verge of breaking into the top 200 in the ITF junior girls’ ranking, said: “Since I’m doing well I’m going to keep playing doubles as well.”
There are only 4 players who are 14 years old in the ITF top 500, with only one girl, from Russia, in the top 200, at present. Subhash, who turned 14 in September, will reach yet another milestone when she breaks into the top 200.
Subhash also said that she is focused on her school work, and spends daily 2-3 hours on her online program, despite the hectic ITF schedule, and living off a suitcase traveling from one city to another.
Subhash has already the distinction of being the youngest Indian American girl to play in a Grand Slam. She was given a wild card by the United States Tennis Association at the 2015 US Open, and won three matches in 4 days, including two qualifying rounds, despite suffering a knee injury in her second match.
Subhash is at present the number one ranked player in the US, in girls’ singles and doubles under-16.