Meet the ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel: Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha

Last month, the ITF announced the players elected to the newly-created ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel. The members will sit on the Panel until the end of the 2021 season and for two-year terms thereafter.

We spoke to all the players on both the men's tennis and women's tennis panels, to find out about their tennis careers to date and their hopes for what they can achieve during their time as panel members. We began our series by speaking to Aldin Setkic and Conny Perrin last week.

Today we hear from Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha, a 25-year-old player from India. Kaliyanda Poonacha reached a career-high ATP ranking of No. 605 in January last year and has won one singles title as a professional, triumphing at the 2018 Indonesia F3 Futures event. He is also the owner of four ITF World Tennis Tour doubles titles, including at M15 Kampala last year. Here's what he had to say...

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I started playing tennis at nine years old. My dad was my first coach, and he coached me until I was 14. As a junior, I participated in national tournaments mostly. I played ITF juniors when I was 16, and although I played very few tournaments, I managed to win one Grade 4 singles title in Chennai, India.

I got my first ATP point in my very first professional tournament (an ITF Futures event in India). I won my first doubles title at ITF Futures level in 2014 and I have now won four ITF doubles titles. I managed to win my first title in singles at $25,000-level in 2018. I have had lots of ups and downs but I am always trying to improve myself and my game.

The best moments of my career so far have been representing my country in South Asian Games, where I won the gold medal, winning my first ITF singles title, which I worked really hard for, and winning my first men’s national championship

I wanted to join the ITF World Tennis Tour Player Panel, because I felt there can be some changes made which can benefit the players and tennis community. I have always thought, is there a better way to help the players to be heard?

When I heard about ITF player panel election, I knew that it would be a great opportunity for players to be heard and for us all to have a better understanding of the tennis community. I’m pleased that my fellow players have shown they believe I can do a good job being a player panel member by voting me on to the panel.

My main goal while on the panel is to gather correct information from ITF and deliver it to players, so they are aware of any changes. I can also gather useful information from players around the globe and communicate it to the ITF, so that the whole tennis community can benefit. I have spoken to many players from all different levels, and I will definitely do my best to represent all the players during my time on the player panel.

Communication is the key part in any association. The players and the governing body must have transparent and easy communication, which will result in better understanding and better trust for all concerned. Tennis can become the most-played sport in the world if the communication between players and governing body are transparent, true and strong.