"Loosing isn't surprising in tennis especially when one commits too many double faults as I did. Young got a break in the first and two in the second, though I broke back to narrow the gap in second, it was really hard to bounce back," observed Raja.

For someone who has started competitive tennis on the demanding seniors’ circuit, Raja has a impressive profile. Within two years, he won a Futures title, a national hard court singles and doubles crown plus has appeared in the ATP main draw.

But above all _ as his coach Sandeep Kirtane says _ he's got a thinking head. "I take things as they come since I cannot set goals. But yes I would love to be among top 100 in the world," says the Altamount Road resident.

Purav_who did most of his schooling in England_also had a tennis scholarships at Millfield School in Somerset and at Loughborough University at Leicester. "There I learned a lot and definitely it was very competitive," informed the six-footer.

A bout of jaundice in May 2005 forced him to return to India in late 2005. But once he recovered, he was more determined. A singles crown at New Delhi in the DSCL hard Court event_where he also won doubles title with his coach Kirtane_saw sponsors rushing towards him. "It helps when you have sponsors, it lightens your burden," says Raja.

Raja was lucky to have got a place in the main draw of the Mumbai ATP Open in September 2007 as a lucky loser. Though he lost in the first round, he has been on a roll since. Earlier this year, the 22-year-old partnered Jiri Krkoska of the Czech Republic to win the Great Britain Futures 2 and 3 tournaments at Sheffield and Tipton. "It was really great. It boosted my confidence," says Raja.

But Raja says he has a long way to go and is ready to fight. "I know I have a game to excel at the top level, I just need to be more consistent," observed Raja who_apart from Kirtane_also trains at Garden Tennis Academy whenever he is Mumbai.