Athlete Spotlight: Nitya Kotha

Nitya is a senior and a member of the Varsity Girls Tennis Team. She has been a part of the VHS Tennis Program for four years. The Varsity Girls Tennis Team recently beat Hart in their league opener, and they are sure to have an amazing season. Nitya is also a member of the Medical Science Academy. 

Q: How long have you played tennis, and what inspired you to start? 

A: I first started playing tennis when I was around six years old. My whole family has always loved playing tennis, and they were the ones who got me into it. Once I started playing, I realized that I really like the sport, so I kept going with it. 

Q: What lessons has playing tennis taught you? 

A: Something that I’ve been taught while playing tennis is to always go for every ball, even if you think you might not be able to get it. I’ve been able to apply this same idea to my life by pursuing as many opportunities as I can. 

Q; Are you planning to continue playing tennis in the future? 

A: I’m planning to be on the premedical track in college, so I’m not sure how much time I will have to play tennis. However, I feel like tennis is a sport that you’ll never forget how to play, no matter how old you get. 

Q: Is there someone that you look up to within the sport?

A: One person that I look up to is Maria Sharapova. I also really look up to Coco Gauff, especially because she went into the sport at a very young age and the way that she rose to the top in spite of that was very inspiring for me. 

Q: What advice do you have for people who want to join your sport? 

A: If someone wants to start playing tennis, I would tell them that it can be hard to stay consistent in the beginning, but once you gain more experience it becomes really fun to play and is a great way to connect with others. 

Q: What subjects interest you the most, and why? 

A: Two subjects that I find really interesting are Anatomy and Chemistry, because there is always something more to learn within those subjects. 

Q: What are your plans after high school? 

A: After high school, I’m planning on going to college and studying neuroscience or biopsychology. 

Q: What is one place you really want to travel to, and why do you want to go there?

A: I would love to visit Iceland because I love to hike and I have heard that they have very beautiful scenery. 

Q: What is one book you think everyone should read?

A: I think everyone should read Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Although it is a bit sad, it is a really inspirational story and it will change the way that you look at life. 

Q: If you had 25 hours in a day, what would you do with the extra hour? 

A: If I had an extra hour in the day, I would use it to hang out with my friends, or just to stay home and relax.