THE United States has a renowned Tennis Star, Serena Williams but, Guyana too might soon be able to boast about its own young and upcoming Tennis Champion, Nicola Ramdyhan.

Twenty-one-year-old Ramdyhan, who now lives in the US, was a former tennis champion for Guyana.
“I am now using my talents to compete and study at the Clark Atlanta University, Georgia,” she said.

Ramdyhan is following the footsteps of her mother, Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan, who was also a respected tennis champion.

When Nicola was young, her mother would often take her to the Non-Pariel Tennis Court (National Racquet Centre) so that she can observe the action.

“She would let me play with a racquet and a ball…As I got older, I took tennis more seriously and began competing locally and internationally,” said Ramdyhan, adding that although she faced challenges such as getting sponsorship to compete in tournaments and even injuries, she did not let them stop her from doing what she loves.
Due to her perseverance, the sport has given her the opportunity to travel, meet people and ultimately her ticket to further her studies.

As for her studies, she is an accounting major with a GPA of 3.91. She was also a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) freshman of the year in 2018 and has been named in the SIAC all-academic team for 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
One of the highlights of her career is that her teammates and she led their school to capture the 2019 SIAC championships after being undefeated in the conference this season.

While her accomplishments are great, balancing academics with athletics could be difficult at times but, Ramdyhan’s inspiration to go on comes from her role model, the great Serena Williams.

She said the way Williams puts her heart and soul into every ball she hits on the court, inspires her to do the same when she plays.

Also, the endless support from her friends and family, especially those back in Guyana, motivates her to continue playing.

“They’ve believed in me because they saw something in me that I didn’t and have encouraged me to always play my best,” said Ramdyhan.
As she continues on her road to success, Ramdyhan aspires to become a role model for other Guyanese athletes, especially female athletes.

She wants to show them that despite the disadvantages such as lack of facilities, equipment and financial support, persons can still give their opponents a run for their money and be successful because Guyanese are known for making full use of what they do.
Ramdyhan intends on giving back to society through more than just words. She wants to one day open her own accounting firm and give back to her hometown by becoming a mentor and establishing scholarships and other opportunities for athletes, who want to take their game to the next level.

Her advice is to always believe in yourself and be confident in your actions. Don’t let the naysayers hold you back from going after your goals because you’re capable of achieving whatever you set your mind to.