Clockwise from top left: Shikha, Neha, Sanaa, Ankita

Calcutta: As Sania-fever grips the city and the Netaji Indoor Stadium braces up for the biggest women’s tennis extravaganza in India, The Telegraph turns attention to two sets of siblings ? Shikha and Neha Uberoi, and Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri ? who could turn out to be the country’s next set of stars.

The Williams sisters are, naturally, an inspiration for both pairs. But their views on the world and tennis go beyond Venus and Serena, their maturity far belying their ages.

So what has life taught them on the Tour? And has having a sister to share helped?

Says Neha (19), the younger Uberoi, “well, any sport is difficult. But, perhaps, tennis is a little more so since it is not a team game and involves a lot more variables than, say, basketball.

“You will have to be much more mature at a comparatively young age since playing on the circuit involves a lot of travelling. This has been helped immensely by having a sister on the Tour. Shikha and I are the best of friends.”

Nods Shikha (22) in agreement. “Apart from playing together, we laugh and chat and have a great time travelling together.”

Brought up in the US, Shikha has qualified to don India colours. She played the Fed Cup earlier this year and feels very proud about it. Neha is waiting for formalities to be completed and, thus, still represents the US.

Delhi-based Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri echo similar thoughts.

“Life on the circuit is very tough and lonely,” says the 17-year-old Sanaa, “and it helps to be a pair.”

Adds Ankita, who will turn 19 next month, “There’s no problem finding a practice partner and doubles partner.”

Quizzed about Sania Mirza’s fairytale rise, all four shower high praise but wish to avoid comparisons.

Neha feels the fact that Sania blossomed right here on Indian soil, makes her success more creditable.

“Why should I look at her as competition? I would rather think of us all forming the Indian brigade ? a la the Russian revolution brought about by the likes of Maria Sharapova, Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Elena Likhovtseva. That’s positive thinking, right?” she asks back.

“And I would prefer to be compared to the world No. 1,” quips Shikha.

The Uberois feel living in the US has given them greater opportunites than they would have got here. “There certainly are a lot more opportunities to developing one’s game in the US ? so many academies, so many people willing to put in a lot of time and effort for female sportspersons,” says Neha.

They may have spent most of their life in the US, but both sisters are quick to emphasise that there is absolutely no conflict of loyalties. “The reason being we have a strong Indian base,” they say. “Culturally our ties with India are very strong. We always have Indian khana at home, regularly visit mandirs and sing kirtans. And have our fill of Bollywood movies.”

Ankita and Sanaa have no complaints about the opportunites India have to offer. However, they both stress on the importance of getting sponsorships.

“It’s very difficult to go places without sponsorship. Why only concentrate on India’s No. 1?” asks Ankita, “Why not on numbers 2, 3 4, 5 also?”

What goals have they all set for themselves?

Shikha, who is world No. 151 now, hopes to break into the top-100 very soon, “though top-10 is where I’m working to be.”

Neha, however, feels it is important “to enjoy each moment that I am playing, focus on each ball that I hit.”

For Sanaa, currently 460, it is target 200 in a year’s time while Ankita feels the need to play more tournaments per year to improve her rankings.Sikha and Neha, coached by father Mahesh, do not feel the need for a travelling coach at this point of time.

“Maybe,” chuckles Neha, “I can be like Federer ? not have a coach and win at least two Grand Slams each year.”

The sisters were at the Harry Hopman Academy for three years at a time when both Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish were there as well.

And how come Roddick is where he is today?

Well, they feel, everyone peaks at a different time. “Mary Pierce being a case in point. Moreover, we did a year of college at Princeton. Also, we have had to work a lot more on our fitness.”

“Unfortunately,” sighs Neha, “we have not been born with perfectly sculpted bodies like the Russian women!”

The Uberois and the Bhambris know each other, though not as much as they would like to, living in different countries. Their mission is the same: to serve the cause of women’s tennis in India and to take the country to greater glory.