"She Was Single, Focused On Tennis": Radhika Yadav's Friend Trashes Buzz

Tennis player Radhika Yadav loved her father and would often talk about how he had supported her career, her close friend has told NDTV in an exclusive interview, days after the 25-year-old was shot dead, allegedly by her father Deepak Yadav, at their Gurugram home.

Radhika worked with a family-owned tennis academy in Gurugram. Her career suffered a setback due to a shoulder injury. Her father then spent Rs 2 crore to set up the tennis academy. According to the investigation so far, Deepak Yadav has a short temper. He was reportedly upset because some neighbours taunted him and said he lived off his daughter's income. He asked Radhika to shut the academy, but she refused. Three days later, Radhika was working in the kitchen when Deepak allegedly shot her.

"She loved her father a lot. She would say, 'My father has invested so much money into my tennis. I won't let it go to waste.' She had a plan to move to Australia for higher studies," said her friend, who first met her at the academy.

'When Radhika's Father Threatened A Man'

According to her friend, Radhika was the youngest coach in the academy. "Most of the other coaches were men and they were much older. They would trouble her. She stood her ground and handled it well. But when things went out of control, she spoke to her father and said one of the coaches was harassing her."

"Her father came and he threatened that man. He told him, 'If you say anything to my daughter, I will shoot you.' What I cannot understand is that you threatened to kill a man for his daughter, and then shot the same daughter dead. How can you do this?" Radhika's friend said.

'She Had No Plans To Become Influencer'

Radhika's friend trashed reports claiming that the tennis player wanted to become an influencer and this had upset her father. "There is nothing like this. Also, she was single and not involved with any man. She was just focused on her tennis coaching. Everyone shoots reels these days. She liked make-up. So what is wrong with it? You killed her for this?"

Radhika's friend said she never spoke in detail about the restrictions at home, but shared some instances that point to the curbs. "There was a walking trail next to the tennis court. Radhika and I would walk there. Our classes would continue till 8 pm. The court is visible from their home. Once we went out, and she was scolded for staying out till 8 pm. She would be scolded even for walking with me. I didn't give it much thought because for women, safety is an issue. But (he) killed her," she said.

Taunts About Clothes

Radhika's friend said she had faced taunts over the short clothes she wore during her games. "This is not just her family, but others around her, too. You cannot play tennis in a suit, you need to wear tight clothes. Radhika told me that she shared this with a woman trainer and she had helped her," her friend said. Radhika, her friend said, had told her that she wanted to be financially independent. "She would say that she was working as a coach so that children could learn from her. At the same time, her personal expenses, such as make-up, would be taken care of," she said.

Her friend said Radhika's death had devastated her. "I still cannot believe that we won't talk ever again. She never hurt anyone. What hurts the most is that her father killed her, the father she loved so much, killed her."

The Last Snapchat Message

Radhika's friend said she had not spoken to her over the phone for the past few days. "But we were connected on Snapchat and would exchange snaps daily. And there was not a single day when she sent a snap in which she was not on the court. A day before her death, she sent me a black snap, which she had never done before. This suggests she did not leave home that day," her friend said.

Black snaps are usually exchanged on Snapchat just to maintain the streak.

Radhika's friend said she was busy with her exams and saw her last Snapchat message only after she got the news of the chilling murder. "I feel so bad. If I saw the (black) snap, I would have asked her about it. Maybe we would have spoken," the heartbroken friend said.