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Sunitha Rao

Ind
Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA
DOB: October 27, 1985
Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
Height: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
Weight: 63 kg (138 lbs.)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Status: Pro (2004)
JANUARY - Played on ITF Circuit.

FEBRUARY - Reached 2r at Pattaya City (as LL, l. to Bychkova); fell 1r at Bogota (l. to No.7 seed Gallovits).

MARCH - Fell in Bangalore qualifying.

APRIL - Played on ITF Circuit.

MAY - Won $75K ITF/Zagreb-CRO doubles title (w/Czink); fell in Roland Garros qualifying.

JUNE - Reached 3r at Birmingham (as qualifier, l. to No.5 seed A.Bondarenko in 3s); fell in Wimbledon qualifying.

JULY - Played on ITF Circuit.

AUGUST - Doubles-only member of Indian Olympic Team (reached 2r w/Mirza); fell in US Open qualifying.

SEPTEMBER - Played on ITF Circuit.
2000 - Played first events of career on ITF Circuit.

2001 - Fell in Tour qualifying at Miami and US Open (both as WC); continued to play on ITF Circuit.

2002 - Played first Tour main draw at Bahia, reaching 2r (as qualifier); fell in Tour qualifying at US Open (as WC); continued to play on ITF Circuit.

2003 - Fell in Tour qualifying nine times (incl. all four majors); continued to play on ITF Circuit.

2004 - Played second Tour main draw at Seoul, falling 1r (as qualifier); fell in Tour qualifying four times (incl. US Open); won one doubles title on ITF Circuit.

2005 - Played two Tour main draws, falling 1r at Strasbourg (as qualifier), but reaching 2r at Kolkata; fell in Tour qualifying 11 times (incl. all four majors); won two doubles titles on ITF Circuit.

2006 - Played two Tour main draws, falling 1r at Bali and Kolkata (as WC); fell in Tour qualifying five times (incl. all four majors); won two doubles titles on ITF Circuit.

2007 - Played two Tour main draws, reaching 2r at Kolkata (as WC) but falling 1r at Quebec City; fell in Tour qualifying three times (incl. US Open); won two doubles titles on ITF Circuit.
DOUBLES
Winner: 2008 - ITF/Zagreb-CRO (w/Czink); 2007 - ITF/Carson, CA-USA (w/Grant), ITF/Allentown, PA-USA (w/Fuda); 2006 - ITF/Charlottesville, VA-USA (w/Pelletier), ITF/Melbourne 2-AUS (w/Dellacqua); 2005 - ITF/Port Pirie-AUS (w/Arn), ITF/Mount Gambier-AUS (w/Fuda); 2004 - ITF/Port Pirie-AUS (w/Dellacqua).

ADDITIONAL
Indian Olympic Team, 2008.
Currently coached by Bill Eastburn ... Attacking baseline game; favorite shot is backhand; prefers hard courts ... Has represented the USA in diverse ITF International team competitions ... Father, Manohar, is a businessman who was born in Mangalore and brought up in Chennai, India; mother's name is Savithri; brother, Manu, is a student ... Has a big following in India and enjoys playing there ... Indian heritage, culture and tradition are in general a big part of her life ... Enjoys listening to music and reading.