Prithvi Sekhar
{{short description|Indian tennis player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
| name = Prithvi Sekhar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1993|10|03}}
| birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| plays = right-handed
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's Tennis}}
{{MedalCountry|{{IND}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Deaflympics}}
{{MedalSilver|Caxias do Sul 2021|men's doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|Caxias do Sul 2021|men's singles}}
{{MedalBronze|Caxias do Sul 2021|mixed doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|Samsun 2017|mixed doubles}}
}}
Prithvi Sekhar (born 3 October 1993) is an Indian male deaf tennis player.{{Cite news|url=http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/prithvi-sekhar/s0h6/overview|title=Prithvi Sekhar {{!}} Overview {{!}} ATP World Tour {{!}} Tennis|work=ATP World Tour|access-date=2018-01-30|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=100205900|title=ITF Profile of Prithvi Sekhar|website=www.itftennis.com|access-date=2018-01-30}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.itftennis.com/juniors/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=100205900|title=Junior profile of Prithvi Sekhar|website=www.itftennis.com|access-date=2018-01-30}} He represented India at the Deaflympics in 2013 and 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deaflympics.com/athletes.asp?32368|title=Prithvi Sekhar {{!}} Deaflympics|website=www.deaflympics.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-30}} He won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics partnering with Jafreen Shaik.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/prithvi-sekhar-defies-odds-for-deaflympics-bronze/articleshow/59920055.cms | title=Prithvi Sekhar defies odds for Deaflympics bronze | date=4 August 2017 | first=Vivek | last=Krishnan | newspaper=Times of India| access-date=14 December 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.deaflympics2017.org/en/deaflympics-day-10-round-up-detay/270|title=Deaflympics 2017 Samsun|website=www.deaflympics2017.org|language=tr|access-date=2018-01-30}}{{Cite web|url=https://article.wn.com/view/2017/08/04/Prithvi_Sekhar_defies_odds_for_Deaflympics_bronze/|title=Prithvi Sekhar defies odds for Deaflympics bronze|website=article.wn.com|language=en|access-date=2018-01-30}} He is also currently employed in the Integrated Coach Factory in Chennai.
Biography
Prithvi started playing tennis from 2002 when he was just eight years old. He was actually left with two options either to choose cricket or tennis at the age of eight and he decided to choose the latter. He idolised tennis icons Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
Early career
He went on to represent India at the 2013 Summer Deaflympics which was also his first Deaflympic appearance, but he did not win a medal. It was through his mother he managed to get to know about a tournament like Deaflympics of its stature. He was sent by his mother to take part in the national trials in 2013 which was held in Aurangabad where he proved his worth by claiming gold medals in both men's singles and men's doubles. Due to his notable performances, he was selected to the Indian contingent for 2013 Summer Deaflympics.
Prithvi was selected to compete for India at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics as India sent a delegation consisting of 46 participants for the multi-sport event.{{Cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20170725/282578788107366 |title=Prithvi Sekhar loses in the quarterfinals |via=PressReader |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131024208/https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20170725/282578788107366 |archive-date=31 Jan 2018 |access-date=2018-01-30}} Prithvi Sekhar along with Jafreen Shaik claimed a historical bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, marking India's first ever Deaflympic medal in tennis.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sportstarlive.com/tennis/prithvi-shekar-i-am-happy-and-proud/article19458707.ece|title=Prithvi Shekar: I am happy and proud|work=Sportstarlive|access-date=2018-01-30|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/bronze-for-prithvi-and-jafreen/article19374235.ece|title=Bronze for Prithvi and Jafreen|last1=Bureau|first1=Sports|date=2017-07-28|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-01-30|last2=Bureau|first2=Sports|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/tennis/030817/bringing-home-the-laurels.html|title=Bringing home the laurels|date=2017-08-03|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=2018-01-30|language=en}}
Rising up through ranks
He then became a prolific tennis player despite being deaf, improving his ratings in the ATP singles and doubles to be among the top ten deaf players.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/this-chennai-tennis-player-scripts-history-in-deaflympics/articleshow/59930848.cms|title=This Chennai tennis player scripts history in Deaflympics - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-30}} His first breakthrough in professional tennis circuit eventually came in May 2018 when he scored his first ATP point by winning a match at the International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tour which was held in China.
He won the men's singles world title at the 2019 World Deaf Tennis Championships after defeating Czech Republic's Jaroslav Smedek 6–4, 6–3 in straight sets in the men's final.{{Cite web |date=2019-10-22 |title='It's truly special': Chennai lad Prithvi Sekhar on winning World Deaf Tennis C'ships |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/it-s-truly-special-chennai-lad-prithvi-sekhar-winning-world-deaf-tennis-c-ship-110971 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=Scroll Staff |title=Indian tennis: Prithvi Sekhar is new World Deaf champion, Bhatia in women's singles final in Lagos |url=https://scroll.in/field/941120/indian-tennis-prithvi-sekhar-is-new-world-deaf-champion-bhatia-in-womens-singles-final-in-lagos |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}} He came into the 2019 World Deaf Tennis Championships unseeded. However, he defied the odds defeating four seeded players including top seed world no 1. Gabor Mathe of Hungary and then beating third seed Jaroslav Smedek in the final to claim his first world title.{{Cite news |last=IANS |date=2020-12-24 |title=None congratulated me when I won bronze at 2017 Deaflympics: Prithvi Sekhar |work=Business Standard India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/sports/none-congratulated-me-when-i-won-bronze-at-2017-deaflympics-prithvi-sekhar-120122400904_1.html |access-date=2022-05-16}} He also secured bronze medal in men's doubles event at 2019 World Championships.
He was also part of the Indian Railways team which claimed gold medal in the World Tennis Railway Championships in 2019 which was held in Bulgaria.{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Kamesh |title=Prithvi Sekhar wins gold in World Deaf Tennis Championship |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/tennis/prithvi-sekhar-world-deaf-tennis-championship-gold-medal-jaroslav-smedek/article29745689.ece |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Sportstar |date=19 October 2019 |language=en}}
He made his second Deaflympic appearance during the 2021 Summer Deaflympics (held in May 2022) representing India and he claimed three medals in the competition. During the 2021 Summer Deaflympics, he teamed up with Dhananjay Dubey to claim silver in men's doubles event whereas he collaborated with Jafreen Shaikh to clinch bronze in mixed doubles.{{Cite web |title=Results - Results - Tennis Doubles (Men)|url=https://www.deaflympics.com/games/2022-s/results/3525|access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Deaflympics}}{{Cite web |author=Scroll Staff |title=Deaflympics 2021: Prithvi Sekhar stars with three medals in tennis events |url=https://scroll.in/field/1023887/deaflympics-2021-prithvi-sekhar-stars-with-three-medals-in-tennis-events |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}} He also secured a bronze in men's singles event to increase his personal medal tally to three during the multi-sport event.{{Cite web |title=Results - Results - Tennis Singles (Men)|url=https://www.deaflympics.com/games/2022-s/results/3519|access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Deaflympics}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{ITF profile}}
- {{ATP}}
- [http://www.tennisexplorer.com/player/sekhar-95dfd/?annual=all&surface=4 Prithvi Sekhar] at Tennis Explorer
- [https://www.deaflympics.com/athletes/prithvi-sekhar Prithvi Sekhar] at Deaflympics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sekhar, Prithvi}}
Category:Indian male tennis players
Category:Tennis players at the 2013 Summer Deaflympics
Category:Tennis players at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics
Category:Tennis players at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics
Category:Medalists at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics
Category:Medalists at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics
Category:Deaflympic silver medalists for India
Category:Deaflympic bronze medalists for India