Five-year-old Kerala tennis prodigy applauded by Rafael Nadal

Thiruvananthapuram: Five-year-old girl Viviktha Visakh appears to be a tennis prodigy after her talent received appreciation from none other than tennis legend Rafael Nadal.

Viviktha's tennis practice video got the attention of Nadal and Kia team during their talent hunt. Kia Motors worldwide posted the video of Viviktha doing deft volley skills.

In a personalised video, Nadal recognised Viviktha for her incredible skills at such a small age and commended her for not letting the lockdown stop her from perfecting her skills.

By now the post has been viewed and liked by thousands of people.

Nadal and Kia are also sending signed merchandise and a special gift for Viviktha. And naturally, she is very excited at the possibility of meeting her favourite player once the pandemic is over.

Viviktha's parents couldn't think of a bigger reward than Nadal appreciating her personally.

"This certainly will be a huge motivation for all of us especially Vivi for whatever she goes on to do with her life in future. This unbelievable appreciation and recognition for talent can only make kids believe in themselves and work hard," her proud father V S Visakh told IANS.

Visakh is his daughter's trainer and is a former state junior champion in tennis and also a certified coach.

"I am 34 now and my wife also plays tennis. Vivi right from early childhood liked tennis and since she was interested, we used to take her often. This video from Nadal is certainly an inspiration not just for my daughter, it should motivate all interested in tennis," said Visakh who is an IT professional with a leading bank.

In the video Nadal can be seen saying the following: "Hello Viviktha, how are you? I love seeing how dedicated you are to your tennis. You have some very good skills and you are only 5 years old. So Kia and I want to give you a gift to motivate you to keep working hard. I hope you enjoy the prize. Stay safe and see you soon."