Sportsmen rarely can switch sports and bond right away, but Krishan Hooda’s situation was one of those instances. No one in Krishan’s family played tennis, so he was never involved in the sport. Instead, Krishan used to compete in inter-school competitions, frequently making it to the semi-finals, and dangals, a raw type of wrestling. His athletic career took a positive turn as he was getting ready for the championships. Scroll down to read Krishan Hooda’s Biography – Wrestler Who Turned Tennis Star.
Krishan Hooda Biography – Wrestler Who Turned Tennis Star
When Krishan was ten years old, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the chief minister of Haryana at the time, organized a competition to choose athletic children. “I recall that there were numerous physical examinations and races, and the selected candidates received a stipend of Rs. 1,500 per month.” A few months later, I was visited by representatives of the Chandigarh Association for Rural Tennis (CHART). They requested that I travel to Chandigarh, where I would have access to all the amenities,” remembers Krishan.
“At that time, I had no interest in tennis but when I started playing, there was an instant connection with the racquet sport,” he continued.
Krishan, who is now 14 years old, responded, “It’s been a good journey and I have won so many titles,” when questioned about his career. I’m hoping it stays this way. I wish to bring home more trophies and honors for both my nation and myself.”
Hooda is now ranked fifth in India for boys under-14 singles rankings. He also competed at the national level in the Road to Wimbledon event, where he was ranked No. 2, and he won handily.
The adolescent is in the tenth standard at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector-8, Chandigarh, and he has no trouble juggling his schoolwork and training.
“I wake up at 5:30 and practice from 6 to 7 in the morning. I then get ready to leave for school. I practice for two to three hours in the evening after returning in the afternoon. I then take a nap before studying and finishing my schoolwork. This will be my final event because I need to concentrate on my studies right now to earn excellent grades for my board examinations, which start soon,” he stated.
Krishan grinned and replied, “To win the Wimbledon title at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club,” when asked what his greatest desire was.
When asked whether playing tennis is more about strategy or fitness, he responded, “It’s a combination of both.” You cannot run if you are not physically fit. How can you win the game if you don’t have a plan in place? Developing plans when incredibly fit is necessary to win.”
Athletes might choose to learn their lesson the hard way or the easy way. It was a difficult route for Krishan. Krishan misjudged his opponent because he was playing against a player who was shorter than him in one of the competitions. He remembered. “I seem to recall that when I went into a tiebreaker with a 1–5 deficit, I thought I would win the set, but I ultimately lost.” I learned from that to never undervalue somebody.”
Krishan expresses gratitude to his family for their assistance. “When CHART first contacted me, I wasn’t interested in going,” he states. I wavered. My grandmother was the one who pushed me to go. When my father and I visited Chandigarh, he suggested that I play tennis after seeing it. My dad had only heard of Sania Mirza before this. He has given me a lot of career assistance. Even now, when I get a call in the evening, he discusses my game and advises me to persevere till the very end.”
Krishan had a wise response when asked what message he wanted to share with other young people. “Practice diligently and give the game your all. In addition, children of this age are easily sidetracked by social media and other diversions. That is something to be cautious of. Although it may be tempting to focus on these diversions, one must keep their attention on their game.”
Also read, Anil Kumble’s Biography: The Jumbo Of Cricket Community
