Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 30 (ANI): The 24-year-old serial winner and India's number three women's singles player, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, has been given a wild card into the main draw at the upcoming Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series, which will be held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in Mumbai.

The Qualifiers will be held on January 31-February 1, followed by the main draw, which is scheduled from February 2-8, 2026. Shrivalli Bhamidipaty has established herself as a force in Indian tennis with high-profile victories on the international stage. She captured her maiden International Tennis Federation (ITF) Singles Title at the 2023 W25 Bengaluru event and reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 300 in 2024.

Her reputation grew in 2025 when she became only the third Indian woman to win the Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award for Asia/Oceania Group 1. She also put together a string of impressive performances to reach the quarter-final stage in the previous edition of the Mumbai Open. Srivalli defeated Russian player Elena Pridankina in the round of 32, winning two straight sets to end the match within an hour.

She continued her fine form against the explosive Serbian right-hander, Alexsandra Krunic in the Round of 16 to reach the quarter-final stage. Her impressive campaign ended here as she exited the tournament after her defeat at the hands of the eventual champion, Jil Teichmann.

Reflecting on her performance from the last edition, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty said, as quoted by an MSLTA press release, 'I had a few good results last time, but I am going to give my best and try to go further this time around. My goal is to play with confidence, stay focused, and give my best in every match. I want to enjoy the competition and keep improving with each round.'

'After the last edition, I have worked on my fitness a lot. It is also key to be consistent and stay calm during important points,' she added.

She also thanked MSLTA for the opportunity to compete again in the prestigious tournament. 'I am very thankful to President Prashant Sutar and Secretary Sunder Iyer of the MSLTA for giving me the wild card at the Mumbai Open. It means a lot to me and gives me a great chance to compete at a high level in front of the home crowd. I want to give my 100 per cent and enjoy the opportunity given to me,' she said.

The young Indian star also highlighted how the Mumbai Open has immensely helped her and her fellow Indian players. 'This tournament is very important for Indian players because it gives us the chance to play against strong international players without going abroad. It helps us gain experience and improve our level, and to do that in front of Indian fans is truly a special feeling.' (ANI)