India, Oct. 9 -- There were plenty of comparisons with Sania Mirza doing the rounds in February. That was when an unheralded teenager, Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, defied all odds to make it to the semi-final of the WTA125 Mumbai Open.

Then 15, unranked Maaya had been handed a wild card into the qualification draw, but slowly pulled-off upset after upset to become the first Indian since Mirza to reach that far at a WTA home event in singles.

The run came a few months after she had first made news of being selected to train at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca. In the months since, she has grown as a player - she is currently the junior world No.59 - and her progression even had 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal himself keep a close eye...