Three young Bhutanese tennis players are all set to represent the country at the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup, widely regarded as the World Cup of Women’s Tennis. After months of training, they will leave for Jordan tomorrow to compete on the international stage. The tournament will take place at King Hussein Sports City from Sunday to Friday. This marks Bhutan’s third appearance at this international event.
They have spent the last three months training five days a week, two hours a day, and now, their moment has come.
Sonam Chuki Dorji, Tenzin Dorji Yangkey, and Lhasel Puendharica will represent Bhutan at the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group III, along with 16 other countries from the region.
20-year-old Sonam Chuki Dorji, from Wangdue Phodrang, is no stranger to the spotlight. An aggressive baseline player, she dominated Bhutan’s national junior circuit, topping the Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 categories.
Currently, on a tennis scholarship at Lewis-Clark State College in the United States of America, Sonam competes at the college level.
Sonam started playing tennis in 2015 and has represented Bhutan in multiple international events, including the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup, where she played her best match against Brunei.
“It is an honour to represent my country in the Billie Jean King Cup. Through tennis, I have received many opportunities. Because of tennis, I am currently studying at Lewis-Clark State College in the U.S., where I am pursuing my degree. I am not only studying but also playing for the college team, which has been my dream since I was a child. Tennis isn’t just a sport — it helps you both physically and mentally. Additionally, it provides numerous career opportunities.”
Likewise, 17-year-old Tenzin Dorji Yangkey, also from Wangdue Phodrang, is another aggressive baseline player, known for her strong groundstrokes and steady improvement.
A National Open semi-finalist in 2024, Tenzin has already represented Bhutan internationally in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bahrain. She is currently studying in Class 11 at Motithang Higher Secondary School.
“With the arrival of the new expert international coach, we have been training every day for the past three months. Additionally, for acclimatisation, we also went to Kolkata for rigorous training for 10 days last month. We are expecting good results.”
At 15, Lhasel Puendharica from Paro is the youngest on the team and already making a name for herself. She ranks number one in the Under-16 and number two in the Under-18 categories in the country.
She reached the semi-finals of the 2023 National Open and played her best match against Brunei during the 2024 Junior Billie Jean King Cup. She is currently studying in Class 11 at Motithang Higher Secondary School.
“As we have been practising very hard this year, I feel we are more prepared than in past years. We know that our opponents have been training hard and play tennis for a living as a full-time job, so we know they are playing very well. However, we are really prepared and we hope to give our best.”
Coach Ravi Shankar Singh from India is preparing them for the international stage.
“The tournament is very prestigious. But we are going to participate nicely, because this time our team is very strong. They are trained very hard, and they are ready to challenge.”
These three young women are ready to represent Bhutan with pride. They carry not just their dreams but the hopes of a nation aiming for a brighter future in tennis.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
