Abhilasha Bista is arguably one of the best tennis players in the country. An under-19 tennis prodigy, Bista has a number of accolades added to her name at quite a young age. While growing up, Bista aspired to be a renowned player. With sheer passion and dedication, she has become a national-level player and continues to make her mark in tennis.

Bista started her career at the tender age of seven while a student at St. Xavier's School. She says, “Our school had tennis practice sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. I used to practice with my brother during those days. My brother stopped playing tennis after the 10th grade as he aspired to be a doctor. I found myself keenly interested in the sport and saw a future in tennis.”

Bista says that her family was very supportive of her passion and career. She also calls herself a pampered child as she recalls her parents leaving no stone unturned to provide her with all the necessary tennis equipment.

While this served as a big motivation for her to further her career, the way Nepali sports fans sideline tennis is a little disheartening for Bista. “Football fans will fill a whole stadium for a game, but a tennis match draws a smaller crowd in Nepal,” Bista says, adding that government support is extremely necessary to motivate athletes in sports other than football and cricket to move forward. “Both the junior and senior players are doing exceptionally well in their respective domains. Their outstanding performances have often won us international recognition. We seek a little more respect and validation from our audience,” adds Bista.

The tennis star also mentions that it is critical to acknowledge and push women in sports and that the government has to promote female players—especially the ones who play sports that aren’t as popular as football.

Bista feels that the tennis community is pretty welcoming of female players, in general. She states that she hasn’t yet been discriminated against or belittled for being a female sportsperson.

Sports, according to Bista, can only be pursued by individuals who are consistent with their practices. “I push myself a lot. I compete in tournaments frequently and do whatever I can to better my game. There are days when I feel tired and fatigued, but I still show up to practice,” she says.

For Bista, who is currently pursuing a degree in computer science as well, juggling school and sports was never a major concern. She has been working hard in both these fields and excels in both.

Bista considers Bibhuti Karki and Pranav Khanal as her tennis idols. She recalls watching all their games growing up, and the fact that she has played alongside Khanal (in mixed doubles games) and converses regularly with Karki (who is actually a distant relative of Bista) is surreal to her.

Arab tennis player Ons Jabeur is another one of Bista’s favourites. “Jabeur was raised in a middle-class family and struggled a lot while playing tennis. She is now one of the best players in the world. Her journey gives me a lot of hope because it proves that coming from a small country and a middle-class family doesn't matter if you have true talent,” she says.

Bista herself has represented Nepal in a lot of national and international games. When asked about her most memorable moment from the court, she says it has to be when she and her partner, Ira Rawat, defeated the Pakistani team in the quarterfinals of the South Asian Games 2019.

Having reached unparalleled success at such a young age, 19-year-old Bista has no intention of slowing down. She states that she wants to represent Nepal and serve as a sports ambassador in more competitions in the future.