Sunitha Manohar Rao is a former American professional

Professional

A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...

 tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 player of Indian

Indian people

Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India...

 background. She was born in Jersey City, New Jersey

Jersey City, New Jersey

Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...

. Rao has 8 career titles on the ITF Women's Circuit

ITF Women's Circuit

The ITF Women's Circuit is a series of professional tennis tournaments run by the International Tennis Federation for female professional tennis players. It serves as the developmental circuit for the WTA Tour, which is run by the independent Women's Tennis Association...

 and has reached many finals in singles.

Early life

Sunitha was born and raised by father Manohar and mother Savithri in Jersey City. Mr and Mrs Rao spoke Kannada. Her parents are originally from Mangalore

Mangalore

Mangalore is the chief port city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located about west of the state capital, Bangalore. Mangalore lies between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghat mountain ranges, and is the administrative headquarters of the Dakshina Kannada district in south western...

 in Karnataka

Karnataka

Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...

, India. Sunitha speaks some Kannada.

Career

Rao received the best result of her WTA career at the 2008 DFS Classic

2008 DFS Classic

The 2008 DFS Classic was a tennis tournament played on outdoor grass courts. It was the 27th edition of the DFS Classic, and was part of the Tier III Series of the 2008 WTA Tour. It took place at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, from June 9 through June 15,...

, where she qualified by beating Anna Smith

Anna Smith (tennis)

Anna Smith is a professional tennis player who represents the United Kingdom. She has won three International Tennis Federation singles titles, 12 ITF doubles titles and reached a career high singles ranking of world no. 262 on 9 August 2010. Smith is currently the British number 9 with a ranking...

 and Chanelle Scheepers

Chanelle Scheepers

Chanelle Scheepers is a South African professional tennis player. Her career high WTA singles ranking is No. 37, which she reached on 10 October 2011. Her career high doubles ranking is 91, set at 30 August 2010....

. She beat Petra Kvitová

Petra Kvitová

Petra Kvitová is a Czech professional tennis player. She has won seven WTA singles titles. As of 31 October 2011, she is ranked World No. 2. Kvitová won the 2011 Wimbledon Championships and the 2011 WTA Tour Championships singles titles...

 in the first round and Naomi Cavaday

Naomi Cavaday

Naomi Kathleen Cavaday is an English former tennis player from Sidcup, Kent. She retired in April 2011 to take up a coaching role with the Lawn Tennis Association. At the time of her retirement she was the British No.6, with a world ranking of No. 231. Her career high ranking was No. 174,...

 in the second before falling to Alona Bondarenko in the third round.

She partnered with Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza is a professional Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003 and is well known for her powerful forehand ground strokes. She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings...

 for India in the women's doubles event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

. They got a walk-over in the round of 32, but lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Svetlana Aleksandrovna Kuznetsova ; born June 27, 1985) is a Russian professional tennis player and as of October 10, 2011 ranked No. 21 in the WTA singles and No. 90 in the doubles ranking. Kuznetsova has appeared in four singles Grand Slam finals, winning two, and has also appeared in six doubles...

 and Dinara Safina

Dinara Safina

Dinara Mikhailovna Safina , born April 27, 1986 in Moscow, is a Russian professional tennis player of Tatar background. Safina's career high ranking is World No. 1....

 of Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 in the round of 16.

Singles (0-7)

$100,000 tournaments

$75,000 tournaments

$50,000 tournaments

$25,000 tournaments

$10,000 tournaments

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	22 March 2008	Noida Noida Noida , short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Area, is an area in India under the management of the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority . Noida came into administrative existence on 17 April 1976 and celebrates 17 April as "Noida Day". It was set up as part of an urbanization... , India	Hard	Anastasija Sevastova Anastasija Sevastova Anastasija Sevastova is a Latvian tennis player. On January 31, 2011, she achieved her career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 36. On August 31, 2009, she claimed her highest Doubles rank of No. 195...	6-2, 6-1
Runner-up	2.	14 October 2007	San Francisco, United States	Hard	Ashley Harkleroad Ashley Harkleroad Ashley Harkleroad , is an American tennis player. Born in Rossville, Georgia, Harkleroad reached a career-high ranking of No. 39 on June 9, 2003. Her career prize money to date is $1,022,094...	6-1, 6-2
Runner-up	3.	8 July 2007	Southlake, United States	Hard	Alexa Glatch Alexa Glatch -Junior career:She started playing tennis at the age of five. As a junior player, she won the prestigious Easter Bowl title in the Girls 14s and Girls 18s divisions and the Orange Bowl in the Girls 16s division in 2004. She achieved a World Junior Ranking of #5 in 2005, advancing to the 2005 US...	6-2, 7-5
Runner-up	4.	24 October 2004	Rockhampton Rockhampton Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia... , Australia	Hard	Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic is an Australian tennis player. Dominikovic turned professional in 1997. Her best grand slam result is making it to the third round at the 2001 Australian Open and at the 2002 French Open....	0-6, 2-0 Retired
Runner-up	5.	17 October 2004	Mackay Mackay, Queensland Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar.... , Australia	Hard	Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic is an Australian tennis player. Dominikovic turned professional in 1997. Her best grand slam result is making it to the third round at the 2001 Australian Open and at the 2002 French Open....	7-5, 6-3
Runner-up	6.	10 November 2002	Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... , Mexico	Hard	Olga Blahotová	7-6(2), 6-3
Runner-up	7.	24 February 2002	Mumbai Mumbai Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million... , India	Hard	Peng Shuai Peng Shuai Peng Shuai is a Chinese professional female tennis player. She won a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games, defeating Akgul Amanmuradova in the final...	6-3, 7-6(3)

Doubles (8-7)

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	5 October 2008	Troy, United States	Hard	Angela Haynes Angela Haynes Angela Haynes is a professional tennis player from the United States. Haynes's top WTA singles ranking is World No. 95 which she attained in August, 2005. Angela is currently ranked World No. 158, race-singles World No. 260 and World No...	Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones is a professional tennis player from the United States of America. She made her debut in professional competition in 2000, aged 17, at an ITF tournament in Boca Raton....   Abigail Spears Abigail Spears Abigail Michal Spears is an American professional tennis player.Spears turned professional in 2000. Spears has reached the third round at the 2005 Australian Open, and the first round at the 2005 French Open, 2005 Wimbledon tournament and the 2005 U.S. Open...	6-2, 6-0
Winner	2.	11 May 2008	Zagreb Zagreb Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city... , Croatia	Clay	Melinda Czink Melinda Czink Melinda Czink is a Hungarian professional female tennis player. On September 21, 2009 Czink reached her career-high singles ranking of World No. 37....	Stéphanie Foretz Stéphanie Foretz Stéphanie Foretz Gacon is a professional female tennis player from France...   Jelena Kostanić Tošić	6–4, 6–2
Runner-up	3.	14 March 2008	New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... , India	Hard	Aurélie Védy Aurélie Védy Aurélie Védy is a French professional tennis player. Her career high WTA doubles ranking is 85, set on May 4, 2009...	Ji Chunmei Ji Chunmei Ji Chunmei is a female professional Chinese tennis player.-Doubles 2 :- References :*-External links:...   Sun Shengnan Sun Shengnan Sun Shengnan is a Chinese female tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 233rd, which she reached on May 28, 2007. Her career high in doubles is 50th, which she reached on September 17, 2007....	2-6, 6-2, [10-4]
Winner	4.	17 June 2007	Allentown, United States	Hard	Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda is a Japanese women's tennis player. She turned pro in December 2003. She has competed in five tennis tournaments since 2003. Ryoko plays using her right hand. According to the WTA she was introduced to tennis when she was 5 by playing on neighborhood courts.-Personal:Ryoko Fuda was...	Angela Haynes Angela Haynes Angela Haynes is a professional tennis player from the United States. Haynes's top WTA singles ranking is World No. 95 which she attained in August, 2005. Angela is currently ranked World No. 158, race-singles World No. 260 and World No...   Lindsay Lee-Waters Lindsay Lee-Waters Lindsay Lee-Waters is an American tennis player. Former World No. 33 player, she won eleven singles and sixteen doubles events organized by International Tennis Federation...	6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1
Winner	5.	2 June 2007	Carson, United States	Hard	Kim Grant Kim Grant (tennis) Kim Grant is a professional South African tennis player. Her career high WTA singles ranking is 414, which she reached on July 31, 1995. Her career high doubles ranking is 76, set at May 6, 2002. She also teaches at Winter Lodge. Many of her students are top juniors throughout the...	Angela Haynes Angela Haynes Angela Haynes is a professional tennis player from the United States. Haynes's top WTA singles ranking is World No. 95 which she attained in August, 2005. Angela is currently ranked World No. 158, race-singles World No. 260 and World No...   Lindsay Lee-Waters Lindsay Lee-Waters Lindsay Lee-Waters is an American tennis player. Former World No. 33 player, she won eleven singles and sixteen doubles events organized by International Tennis Federation...	6–4, 6–4
Runner-up	6.	20 January 2007	Fort Walton Beach, United States	Hard	Marie-Ève Pelletier Marie-Ève Pelletier Marie-Ève Pelletier is a Canadian professional tennis player. She reached a career high ranking of 106 in singles on June 20, 2005 and a career high of 54 in doubles on April 12, 2010 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.-1998–present:...	Angelika Bachmann Angelika Bachmann Angelika Bachmann is a professional German tennis player. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 130th, which she reached on 17 April 2000. Her career high in doubles was at 90 set at 18 December 2000.-External links:...   Tetiana Luzhanska Tetiana Luzhanska Tetiana Luzhanska is a professional Ukrainian American tennis player. Luzhanska has not won a WTA title. However, on the ITF, she has won 19 doubles and 2 singles titles. Luzhanska's highest singles ranking was World Number 131 on September 26, 2011, and her highest doubles rank was World Number...	7-5, 6-7(7), 6-7(4)
Winner	7.	15 October 2006	Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... , Australia	Hard	Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua is an Australian professional tennis player who currently resides in Perth, Western Australia. She was previously coached by former Australian player Nicole Pratt, before the two decided to part ways prior to the 2009 Australian Open...	Daniella Dominikovic Daniella Dominikovic Daniella Dominikovic is a professional Australian tennis player.Dominikovic's highest WTA singles ranking is 324th, which she reached on 3 October 2005. Her career high in doubles was at 172 set at 3 October 2005. She is the younger sister of fellow professional Evie Dominikovic.-External links:*...   Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic is an Australian tennis player. Dominikovic turned professional in 1997. Her best grand slam result is making it to the third round at the 2001 Australian Open and at the 2002 French Open....	6–3, 6–2
Runner-up	8.	8 October 2006	Traralgon, Australia	Hard	Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua is an Australian professional tennis player who currently resides in Perth, Western Australia. She was previously coached by former Australian player Nicole Pratt, before the two decided to part ways prior to the 2009 Australian Open...	Christina Horiatopoulos Christina Horiatopoulos Christina Horiatopoulos is an Australian Professional Tennis Player.Horiatopoulos is 1.72m and plays right-handed. Her favorite surface is grass. She started played tennis at the age of 5....   Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones is a professional tennis player from the United States of America. She made her debut in professional competition in 2000, aged 17, at an ITF tournament in Boca Raton....	6-2, 7-6(5)
Runner-up	9.	23 July 2006	Hammond, United States	Hard	Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda is a Japanese women's tennis player. She turned pro in December 2003. She has competed in five tennis tournaments since 2003. Ryoko plays using her right hand. According to the WTA she was introduced to tennis when she was 5 by playing on neighborhood courts.-Personal:Ryoko Fuda was...	Christina Fusano Christina Fusano Christina Fusano is an American professional tennis player from Plymouth, California. She attended Ponderosa High School in El Dorado, California, where she was an all-league volleyball and basketball player...   Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones Raquel Kops-Jones is a professional tennis player from the United States of America. She made her debut in professional competition in 2000, aged 17, at an ITF tournament in Boca Raton....	7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1
Winner	10.	7 May 2006	Charlottesville, United States	Clay	Marie-Ève Pelletier Marie-Ève Pelletier Marie-Ève Pelletier is a Canadian professional tennis player. She reached a career high ranking of 106 in singles on June 20, 2005 and a career high of 54 in doubles on April 12, 2010 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.-1998–present:...	Maria Fernanda Alves Maria Fernanda Alves Maria Fernanda Barbato Alves , also known as Nanda Alves, is a Brazilian tennis player. She is currently coached by her father Carlos and former World No. 4 male tennis player Thomaz Koch. As of 1 March 2010, Alves is ranked World No. 262, and is the highest ranked Brazilian player...   Lilia Osterloh Lilia Osterloh Lilia Osterloh is a tennis player from the United States, who started a professional career in August 1997....	6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3
Winner	11.	27 November 2005	Mount Gambier, Australia	Hard	Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda Ryoko Fuda is a Japanese women's tennis player. She turned pro in December 2003. She has competed in five tennis tournaments since 2003. Ryoko plays using her right hand. According to the WTA she was introduced to tennis when she was 5 by playing on neighborhood courts.-Personal:Ryoko Fuda was...	Gréta Arn Gréta Arn Gréta Arn is a professional tennis player from Hungary, and the current Hungarian No. 1. Arn turned professional in 1997....   Anastasia Rodionova	6-1 Retired
Winner	12.	13 November 2005	Port Pirie, Australia	Hard	Gréta Arn Gréta Arn Gréta Arn is a professional tennis player from Hungary, and the current Hungarian No. 1. Arn turned professional in 1997....	Monique Adamczak Monique Adamczak Monique Adamczak is an Australian professional tennis player. She is coached by Roger Federer's former coach, Tony Roche. Adamczak's favourite surface is grass....   Christina Horiatopoulos Christina Horiatopoulos Christina Horiatopoulos is an Australian Professional Tennis Player.Horiatopoulos is 1.72m and plays right-handed. Her favorite surface is grass. She started played tennis at the age of 5....	6-4, 3-6, 6-2
Winner	13.	14 November 2004	Port Pirie, Australia	Hard	Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua Casey Dellacqua is an Australian professional tennis player who currently resides in Perth, Western Australia. She was previously coached by former Australian player Nicole Pratt, before the two decided to part ways prior to the 2009 Australian Open...	Daniella Dominikovic Daniella Dominikovic Daniella Dominikovic is a professional Australian tennis player.Dominikovic's highest WTA singles ranking is 324th, which she reached on 3 October 2005. Her career high in doubles was at 172 set at 3 October 2005. She is the younger sister of fellow professional Evie Dominikovic.-External links:*...   Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic is an Australian tennis player. Dominikovic turned professional in 1997. Her best grand slam result is making it to the third round at the 2001 Australian Open and at the 2002 French Open....	4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6)
Runner-up	14.	16 May 2004	Charlottesville, United States	Clay	Vilmarie Castellvi Vilmarie Castellvi Vilmarie Castellvi is a professional tennis player from Puerto Rico. She was born on 21 March 1981. She received a wildcard to play at the 2005 Sunfeast Open and defeated Emmanuelle Gagliardi in Round 1 but lost to Karolina Sprem in Round 2.-References:...	Erica Krauth   Jessica Lehnhoff	6-0, 6-1
Runner-up	15.	18 January 2004	Tampa, United States	Hard	Milangela Morales	Alisa Kleybanova Alisa Kleybanova Alisa Mikhaelovna Kleybanova is a Russian professional tennis player. Her highest WTA world ranking to date is No. 20, achieved on February 21, 2010...   Mayumi Yamamoto Mayumi Yamamoto -Television:*Kanjani Knight *幽霊ママ *新・京都迷宮案内*てるてる家族 *GET01 *エンタメニュースショー　GET *おしえて -External links:*...	6-2, 6-4

External links