Shikha Uberoi
Shikha Devi Uberoi (Hindi: शिखा उबेरोई; born 5 April 1983) is a former Indian-American professional tennis player and a former Indian No. 1. After Nirupama Sanjeev, she is the second Indian female player in history to crack the top 200 WTA rankings, as well as the second to feature and win a round at a Grand Slam tournament.
Uberoi at the 2006 Asian Games | |
Full name | Shikha Devi Uberoi |
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Country (sports) | |
Residence | Princeton, New Jersey, United States |
Born | Bombay, India | 5 April 1983
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
Turned pro | August 2003 |
Retired | 2011 |
Plays | Right-handed, two-handed backhand |
Prize money | US$213,828 |
Singles | |
Career record | 192-205 |
Career titles | 0 WTA, 3 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 122 (29 August 2005) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | Q2 (2005, 2006) |
French Open | Q2 (2006) |
Wimbledon | Q2 (2005, 2006) |
US Open | 2R (2004) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 106-149 |
Career titles | 0 WTA, 2 ITF |
Highest ranking | No. 87 (19 February 2007) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Wimbledon | Q1 (2006, 2007) |
US Open | 1R (2004) |
Biography
Shikha was born to father Mahesh (who was a table-tennis player for India) and mother Madhu in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Her family moved to Princeton, New Jersey when she was an infant. She has one older sister (Diya) and three younger sisters (Neha, Nikita and Nimita). Her four sisters are also tennis players, but of all, Shikha is by far the most successful, and the only one to represent India (the other sisters represent the United States).
She was named the Zee Astitva Athlete of the Year 2007. She was one of the top-10 fastest servers in the world. She earned her bachelor's degree from Princeton University in Anthropology and South Asian Studies. She graduated with high academic standing while winning Princeton's prestigious Kit Harris Memorial Award for Leadership and Ethics.
Shikha launched her media and lifestyle company, SDU Seva, Inc. As of 2013, she is currently creating and producing international social issue television shows, and is a social entrepreneur. She speaks internationally at various diplomatic conferences on female empowerment through sport. She has recently been invited to sit on the board of directors of the World Economic Forum's "Global Shapers Initiative" for Bhopal. She is also a news and sports presenter and coaches all levels of tennis and fitness.[1]
Tennis career
She turned pro in August 2003. Though she has not won any WTA Tour event till date, Uberoi has three ITF Women's Circuit singles titles to her name- one in Harrisonburg in 2003 and two in Fort Worth and Edmond in 2004.[2]
At the 2004 US Open, Uberoi became the second ever Indian female player in the modern era to feature and win a round at a main draw Grand Slam Tournament, defeating Japan's Saori Obata.[3] (The first was Nirupama Vaidyanathan at the 1998 Australian Open.)
In 2005, Shikha reached 2 WTA doubles finals partnering sister Neha, one in Kolkata[4] and one in Guangzhou.[5]
In 2006, Uberoi represented India at the 2006 Asian Games where she defeated Linda Ahmad of Bahrain in Round 1, but retired in the second round to Zheng Jie of China.
In 2007, Shikha was the finalist in Auckland, partnering Su-Wei Hsieh.
She was also the India Fed Cup Team leader.
Career statistics
WTA Tour Finals
Doubles (0–3)
Winner – Legend (pre/post 2009) |
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Grand Slam tournaments |
WTA Tour Championships |
Tier I / Premier Mandatory & Premier 5 |
Tier II / Premier |
Tier III, IV & V / International |
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score in final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | 25 September 2005 | Sunfeast Open, Kolkata, India | Hard | 6–1, 6–0 | ||
Runner-up | 2. | 2 October 2005 | Guangzhou Open, China | Hard | 7–6(7–5), 6–3 | ||
Runner-up | 3. | 7 January 2007 | Auckland Open, New Zealand | Hard | 6–0, 6–2 |
ITF finals (6-3)
Singles (3–0)
|
|
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 3 August 2003 | Harrisonburg, United States | Hard | 6–1, 6–1 | |
Winner | 2. | 20 June 2004 | Fort Worth, United States | Hard | 6–1, 6–2 | |
Winner | 3. | 27 June 2004 | Edmond, United States | Hard | 6–2, 6–4 |
Doubles (3–3)
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|
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 21 February 2000 | Victoria, Mexico | Hard | 6–1, 6–1 | ||
Runner-up | 1. | 20 June 2004 | Fort Worth, United States | Hard | 6–2, 3–6, 6–7(5) | ||
Runner-up | 2. | 21 June 2008 | Houston, United States | Hard | 3–6, 5–7 | ||
Winner | 2. | 14 June 2009 | El Paso, United States | Hard | 6–3, 7–5 | ||
Runner-up | 3. | 26 June 2011 | Cleveland, United States | Clay | 6–7(2), 3–6 | ||
Winner | 3. | 3 July 2011 | Buffalo, United States | Clay | 7–5, 6–4 |
References
- » NEWS--Where are They Now: Shikha Uberoi http://www.newjersey.usta.com/ Retrieved February 27, 2014 08:57 AM
- LP/MB/NS/Indian-Tennis: Notes for the weeks ending on June 28, 2004
- Indian-Tennis: Daily News for the weeks ending on Sep 30, 2004
- 'Shikha Uberoi at Tribune India'
- Indian-Tennis: Daily News for the week ending on Oct 3, 2005