Revision as of 17:32, 19 May 2021

The economics of an Indian tennis player

Ramkumar Ramanathan, for example

akshay sawai, The economics of an Indian tennis player on the rise, Feb 12, 2017: The Times of India

Ramkumar Ramanathan was instrumental in India's Davis Cup win recently. His annual expenses add up to Rs 50 lakh approximately. But finding monetary support is not easy in a sport that depends on government funding, and in a country where corporations are reluctant to spend on non-cricket sport

Ramkumar Ramanathan was tossed in the air by teammates after he won India the Davis Cup tie against New Zealand last weekend in Pune. A few hours later, the 22-year-old was airborne again, this time on a flight to San Francisco for a tournament. “I was to fly out later but got a wild card entry into the tournament. So, I booked a fresh ticket and left,“ Ramkumar says from San Francisco. “There was no celebration as such. We just had a team dinner.“

That is the life of a tennis player, whether you are Ramkumar or Roger. But Roger is rich.Ramkumar, ranked no. 264 in the world, has earned a modest $201,560 (approximately 1.35 crore) after some six years on circuit.That's probably Roger's private jet bi l l for a month. The amount doesn't look too bad, but it is not much once travel costs and coaching fees are factored in.

Ramkumar says, “One of the industry norms for a coach is 1,000 a week as fees, travel and stay expenses and 10-15 per cent of the prize money. But it varies depending upon the scale of the tournament.“

Last year, Ramkumar played over 20 tournaments, from the qualifiers of big shows li ke Wimbledon and F rench Open to small er events i n places like Ho Chi Minh City, Samarkand and podunk towns i n A mer ic a . I f he had a coach w it h h i m , he'd have paid $25,000 in fees. He made nearly $78,000 in prize money last year, of which ab out $ 8 , 0 0 0 wou ld have been the coach's cut. In all, he'd be paying the coach about $33,000 ( 22 lakh plus). Add travel and stay expenses. “ 50 lakh annually would be a good estimate of my expenses,“ Ramkumar says.

Joint effort

So far, Ramkumar has been financed, at various points, by his father, his own earnings, the International Management Group (IMG) and the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA).The TNTA's vice-president is Karti Chidambaram, a loquacious tennis buff and the son of P Chidambaram, the former finance minister of India. (Karti once said Ramkumar wasn't easy to get along with. Asked about the comment, he tells , “I said that but that's his personality. We are not looking for a son-inlaw. We are looking for a player.“) K a r t i fe el s pl ayer s l i ke Ramkumar and Yuki Bhambri, who have potential, deserve funding of around $30,000 (about Rs 20 lakh) a year.

“I t hi n k players li ke Ramkumar or Yuki should be given a subsidy of about $30,000,“ he says. “But I don't believe a player must be completely funded. There must be some pain for him as well.If it's all paid, then it may be taken for granted.“

T h e T N TA h a s b a c k e d Ramkumar for nearly eight years, since the time he was about 14. He has been training at the Sanchez-Casal Academy in Barcelona since 2010-11. “One year, he was at the academy for about 11 months,“ Karti says.“TNTA probably spent $ 30,000 on him that time.“

Ramkumar acknowledges the association's support. “I'm grateful to them,“ he says.

Asked how much the TNTA spends on Ramkumar now, Karti says, “It is need based. We also have performance-based incentives for him.“

'Scope for improvement

Karti feels that while Ramkumar's Davis Cup performance was cred itable, it came against soft opposition. At 22, he shou ld have been in the top-150.

“It's a bit disappointing that he's 264,“ Karti says. “He needs to work on his fitness and his backhand. But the good thing about him is that he has a big forehand, serve and is a fighter who thrives on the big stage. He is not afraid of reputations. When India played Spain in the Davis Cup, he played Feliciano Lopez as a peer (he lost in four sets).“

AITA's criticism

In the recent past , Somdev Devvarman a nd Bh a mbr i h ave lambasted the All India Tennis A ssociation (A I TA) .Karti, too, said the federation had failed in supporting players.He says that India can easily afford to back its players, but the AITA hasn't shown the will.

“You need to spend about 3-4 crore a year on about six players. It's doable,“ Karti says. “Yuki was a huge opportunity wasted. He was the world no. 1 junior and junior Australian Open champion. Any country with half a tennis federation would call him and say `Hire whichever coach you want and we will pay for him'.“

AITA responds

To a question on the AITA's contribution to Ramkumar's career, Hironmoy Chatterjee, hon. secretary general, said the federation had recommended him for government funding.

“Ramkumar and some other Indian players received some government funding basis our recommendation,“ Chatterjee says. “And this year we are confident of more funds from the government.“

Another official, requesting anonymity, said the AITA's main job was to create infrastructure and host tournaments. He said, “We had over 20 tournaments in India in 2015, which helped the likes of Ramkumar develop.“

Bhavna Memorial ITF Tournament

History, 2002-18

Mohd Dilshad, Muzaffarnagar ITF event is tribute to a daughter, November 12, 2018: The Times of India

An International Tennis Federation women’s pro circuit tournament in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar with a prize money of US$ 25,000 may sound unreal. But the week-long tournament, now in its seventh edition and drawing several ranked players from across the world, has been here since 2002. The story behind the feat of bringing an international event to the backyard of UP’s wild west is tragic, yet inspiring.

Bhavna, a chirpy 13-yearold student at Welham Girls’ School in Dehradun, died in a terrible road accident in 2001 while she was on her way back to her school after a short vacation at her home in Muzaffarnagar. One thing that her father Alok Swarup, a 56-year-old local businessman whose family deals into real estate, paper mills, flexible packaging and hospitality, could never forget was her passion for tennis. “She was a budding player and was doing quite well in school,” he said.

Along with a group of friends, and support of his family, he started the Bhavna Memorial ITF Tournament in 2002. Sania Mirza was the chief guest here in 2008.

This year, women players from more than a dozen countries, including Japan, Australia, Germany, England, France etc., are participating. The week-long event opens on Sunday.

The nods of All India Tennis Association and ITF were not easy to come by, but Swarup had to do this for her daughter’s memory.

“I feel closer to her during the event. And that’s good enough reason for me to continue this,” he said.

The money is well spent though. The grass court built here in 1934 is one of the best in the country and the one the players can vouch for.

Wimbledon and India

1960-2015

Prajwal Hegde, Wimbledon: First among the equals, June 29, 2020: The Times of India

The sprawling lawns, a staggering set-up steeped in history. The striking silverware that’s rolled out on Finals weekend every July. Its gold-edged traditions. The mostly alluring, sometimes annoying, all-white clothing rule. Fred Perry’s statue, slight but stark, the quotation from the Rudyard Kipling poem ‘If’ above the entrance to Centre Court. The extract reads, ‘If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same’. As if.

For Indian pros and its fandom, the Wimbledon tennis championships, the 2020 edition of which has been called off due to Covid-19, has long ranked first among the game’s majors. The first among equals.

Ramanathan Krishnan put the colonial hangover to good use, striking it right on the slick surface by making two Wimbledon semifinals —1960 and ’61 — in the amateur era, to set a trend.

Vijay Amritraj, twice quarterfinalist in ’73 and ’81, termed his favourite hunting ground ‘special’, on a variety of fronts. “It is something the British have managed to create, where legacy, history, tradition and everything modern about it comes together in one fortnight,” said Vijay. “Everything has changed at Wimbledon, yet nothing has changed at Wimbledon.

“The first time I walked in was back in 1969, through Gate No. 5 on Church Road. Goose bumps on both arms,” added Vijay, articulate shot-maker and storyteller sublime. “I had 50 pence to buy a standing-only ticket to watch the greatest first-round match in the history of Wimbledon between Pancho Gonzales and Charlie Pasarell.” He was no more than a boy of 15 then. Ramesh Krishnan completed Indian tennis’ father-son duo at The Championships, making the quarterfinals in 1986. He was perhaps the craftiest of an assembly line of pros from this country, who were artists more than athletes.

It was up to Leander Paes then to break that time-honoured Indian tradition with his speed of hand and feet. Paes, who clinched the junior singles title, also won one doubles and four mixed-doubles titles at Wimbledon. The men’s crown came in tandem with Mahesh Bhupathi in 1999; that sweet-and-sour partnership went on to become one of the columns of the sport in India. Bhoopati-Paes, as they were called by chair umpires around the world, started their journey in 1990 in a quaint London suburb.

“I had got to the final of the Australian Open (juniors) and when I got to Wimbledon, Hesh said, ‘Lee, I don’t have a place to stay. Can I stay with you?’ And I’m like, sure,” Paes said. “We had one tray of food because I was the only one with the meal allowance on my badge. So, we’d go into the Wimbledon cafeteria, take one tray with two forks.”

Not long after, standing on the same side of the net, they made music. Sania Mirza was a pathbreaker for the women’s game in India. She claimed the girls’ doubles title with Russian Alisa Kleybanova in 2003 and won the women’s event with Swiss Martina Hingis some 12 years later in 2015.

The Hyderabadi’s love affair with The Championships began in 2001, when she made the second round of the girls’ singles, falling to Argentinian Gisela Dulko. Then just 14 and travelling with parents Imran and Nasima, Sania enjoyed an ice cream treat after her loss. “It’s ok,” she had said then, with a shrug of her shoulders. “I gave it my best.”

The same year that Sania and Hingis claimed the doubles title, Sumit Nagal and Vietnam’s Nam Hoang Ly won the junior boys’ event, beating fourth seeds Japan’s Akira Santillan and the 6’11’’ American Reilly Opelka in the final. Nagal, now the India No. 1 in singles, was playing his last junior event then. “I don’t normally play doubles,” the 17-year-old said after the win. “Wimbledon is a big deal for us. It’s such a huge tournament. Of course, I would’ve liked to have done better in the singles, but it’s nice to have your name on any trophy here.”

Strawberries and cream. And dreams.

Davis Cup

India vs. Pakistan: 1962- 2006

India vs. Pakistan in the Davis Cup: 1962- 2006
From: Prajwal Hegde, August 15, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic, ‘India vs. Pakistan in the Davis Cup: 1962- 2006 ’

1964: India beat Pakistan 4:0

Prajwal Hegde, August 15, 2019: The Times of India

The last tango: Friday the 13th. On that supposedly inauspicious date, back in 1964, India kicked off the second of her two away ties against Pakistan in Lahore.

A comparatively light-weight side led by the charismatic Premjit Lall came away with a 4-0 win in friendly conditions in 1964. Lall, the playing captain, along with Akhtar Ali and Shiv Prakash Misra, were the three-man, no-frills team for India. No coach, no physio, much less a masseur. At a time when everything was in short supply, their baggage too weighed next to nothing. Lall, who passed away over a decade ago, when a little short of his 70th birthday, wore different hats that weekend – coach, captain and player. The Kolkatan was handed the reins when Ramanathan Krishnan, ranked as high as No. 6 in the world at his peak, and the other Kolkatan, Jaideep Mukerjea, pulled out with injuries. Akhtar, whose play revolved around an adventurous use of the court, put up his hand for selection when he won a pre-tie tournament in Jaipur. “A lot of foreigners played in India those days,” Akhtar, 80, tells TOI from Kolkata. “In Krishnan, Mukerjea and Lall, we had very good players. I was playing good too. The competition in our tournaments was strong. The win in Jaipur ensured my selection to the squad. I was the in-form player in the side, it gave me a lot of confidence. Still, I was nervous; playing for your country is different from playing any other tournament.”

They travelled light those days, compact kit bags and few necessities. “Each of us had two wooden rackets, one that we were playing with, and a spare one. The brand I used was Slazenger. I had two sets of match gear, shorts and tees,” he said. Akhtar had got them at Wimbledon the previous year, when he had qualified for the main draw. “It was Fred Perry, white,” he tells you with quiet pride.

Misra, who went on to accumulate a 13-1 win-loss record in singles in Cup play, was featuring in just his second tie at the time. The youngest of the trio, he had used his Dunlop stick with precision to win both his matches against Ceylon in his debut outing.

Akhtar, who twice qualified for Wimbledon, recalled that the team arrived in Lahore a couple of days before the tie. “I can’t remember the exact day, it was a long time ago, but we were there early. We had a few practices on the grass before the start,” he says.

“As we were without Krishnan and Mukerjea, the hosts thought they could win the tie. Krishnan and Premjit had taken India to an emphatic win only two years earlier in Lahore. I remember there was a grand pre-tie dinner at the Lahore Club, the crowd was big. They were very confident. Their best player (Munir Pirzada) had beaten me earlier in the year, they thought they’d beat Akhtar and win the tie,” the Kolkatan recalls.

“Many people told Premjit not to play me in the singles, but he didn’t listen to them. I’m glad I didn’t disappoint him, I played the best tennis of my life, won all my matches. “The association didn’t give us much those days. We got blue blazers, I don’t think we got anything else. We were also given a small amount of money as daily allowance. I think it was 20 Rupees. That was a lot of money in that time. But for us, it was bigger to play for the country,” Akhtar emphasises. “I didn’t play competitively for much longer after that tie. I started coaching.”

In 1969, Lall was on course to become one of tennis’ biggest dream-wreckers, leading Aussie legend Rod Laver by twosets-to-love in the Wimbledon second round. Laver recovered to claim his second Grand Slam that year. In Lahore in 1964, Lall played one match, the singles on the opening day.

Misra, now 77 and from Hyderabad, won the first of the reverse singles in the visiting side’s triumph in Lahore. Much later, when in his 70s, he took over the reins as non-playing captain of the Indian team. “One of the first things that struck me about Lahore was the similarity. I remember thinking this is like anywhere in India. We stayed at the Faletti’s Hotel,” the affable Hyderabadi reminisces. “I don’t think I had Fred Perry clothes for that tie, I got them later. I carried the sweater my mother had knitted for me. The shorts were stitched by a local tailor, my shoes were from Bata.”

Misra gained from his association with the late Ghaus Mohammad, the first Indian to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1939.

He took pains to underline that those days were different. “It was a quiet time, hardly any publicity. We went quietly, did our jobs and came back,” Misra says. He carried his two Dunlop rackets, which he got strung in Pune for Rs 5, and little else for the trip across the border.

“Although we played the tie on grass, there wasn’t so much power in the game at that time. For me, grass was a little tough to adjust to initially because in the south there wasn’t much opportunity to play on grass courts.

“But the game wasn’t so physical those days and adjusting was easier.”

Akhtar and Misra agree that the trip was an enjoyable experience. “Everyone was very friendly on that tour, and we were treated very well,” Akhtar says. “We were well looked after. It was the same when they came to India, they were well looked after too.”

Akhtar remembers that after the team emerged victorious, Lall and he took off on a trek to the food street at Anarkali Bazaar. “They were supposed to have the best kebabs and we wanted to taste some. The people were excited to see us. The food was excellent. When we got up to pay, they refused to take money. They told us we are their guests.” The taste of those succulent kebabs is long forgotten, but the flavor of that tie is still alive.

2016

Sikki-Pranaav win Grand Prix title

Foz do Iguacu (Brazil)

Indian mixed doubles pair of Sikki Reddy and Pranaav Jerry Chopra clinched their maiden Grand Prix title, bagging the Brazil Open with a straight game victory over Canadian combo of Toby Ng and Rachel Honderich in the finals, here. The top seeded Indian pair, who are ranked World No. 65, prevailed 21-15, 21-16 over second seeds Toby and Rachel in a 37-minute summit clash at Costa Cavalcante here.

2017

The best players

February 10, 2018: The Times of India

YUKI BHAMBRI

Won the $50,000 KPIT ATP Challenger Crown, beating Ramkumar Ramanathan 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 for his six Challenger triumph. Beat the world No 22 and defending champion Gail Monfils in the second round of the ATP Citi Open in Washington, DC. Having qualified for the main draw of the ATP 500 tournament, Bhambri upset the Frenchman 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

In the third round, he rallied to beat Argentinian Guido Pella 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1 before losing to Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals. This performance saw Bhambri move 41 spots in the ATP rankings, from 200 to 159. He was also the runners-up with Divij Sharan at the Tashkent Challenger.

ROHAN BOPANNA

Lifted his first Grand Slam title by winning the French Open mixed doubles trophy with Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski, becoming the fourth Indian tennis player to clinch a major. In just his second Grand Slam final, Bopanna teamed with Dabrowski to beat Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Colombia’s Robert Farah 2-6, 6-2, 12-10.Won the season opening Chennai Open with Jeeven Nedunchezhiyan. Won the Monte Carlo Masters with his Uruguayan partner Pablo Cuevas after a three-set win over Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez. Won the Erste Bank Open in Vienna with Cuevas, beating Sam Querrey and Marcelo Demoliner 7-6 (7), 6-7 (4), 11-9.

Also reached the quarter-finals of the China Open with Cuevas.

SANIA MIRZA

With Czech partner Barbara Strycova, reached the final of the Sydney International final where the pair lost 4-6, 4-6 to Timea Babos and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Partnered Strycova to the final of the Miami Open, where they were stunned by the unseeded pair of Gabriela Dabrowski and Xu Yifan 4-6, 3-6. Reached the semi-finals of the $2,666,000 Wuhan Open in China with Chinese partner Shuai Peng. Reached the semifinals of the China Open with Peng.

DIVIJ SHARAN

Won the men’s doubles title with Purav Raja at the Bordeaux Challenger in straight sets over Santiago Gonzalez and Artem Sitak. Won the European Open Trophy in Antwerp with American Scott Lipsky - his first of 2017 on the ATP World Tour, and third overall - with a 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 win over Santiago Gonzalez and Julio Peralta.

Runner-up with Yuki Bhambri at the Tashkent Challenger event after a 4-6, 2-6 loss to the second seeded pair of Hans Podlipnik-Castillo an Andrei Vasilevski. Runner-up with Raja at the season-opening Chennai Open. Runnerup with Scott Clayton at the Brest Challenger event in France. Reached his highest career rank of 51.

PURAV RAJA

Won the men’s doubles title with Divij Sharan at the Bordeaux Challenger in straight sets over Santiago Gonzalez and Artem Sitak. Runner-up with Sharan at the season-opening Chennai Open.

With Leander Paes, reached the quarterfinals of the €106,000 Challenger tennis tournament in France. Teamed up with Paes to win the $75,000 Knoxville Challenge with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4) victory over James Cerretani and John-Patrick Smith.

2018

Davis Cup: India loses to Serbia

Kumaraswamy K, India lose doubles & tie to Serbia in Davis Cup, September 16, 2018: The Times of India

Captain Mahesh Bhupathi wore a wry smile at the press conference. “Well, we have made it to the World Group next year. That’s the positive we take. And hopefully, it will be a home tie, because I think we deserve it,” Bhupathi said, his carefully put-on glee masking the 0-3 numbing defeat against Serbia.

Factually, the multiple Grand Slam champion was spot on. But beyond that, there was nothing else to take away for Indians from the slow, low bouncing red surface at the Kraljevo Sports Centre. The Indians could take just one set, won by Ramkumar Ramanathan in the opening singles on Friday.

On Saturday, the ageing Rohan Bopanna and Saketh Myneni proved little match for the thunderous serves of Cup debutant Danilo Petrovic and the solid-and-steady-from-thebaseline, Nikola Milojevic. Needing to win to keep the tie alive, the Indians went down 6-7 (5), 2-6, 6-7 (4) in two hours and 22 minutes.

Bhupathi didn’t have much of an explanation for changing the doubles nomination, replacing Sriram Balaji with Myneni. At 6’8”, Petrovic delivered bombs at will. It was way above the calibre of a player ranked 228 in doubles and 233 in singles. Milojevic, 23, is ranked 193 in singles and 345 in doubles.

Bhupathi responded edgily when it was pointed out the Indians were the favourites to win the doubles. “I don’t know which expert said that. I am the doubles expert. And I always believed that this was going to be an extremely difficult rubber,” he said.

Oct:  Divij India’s top doubles player

October 30, 2018: The Times of India

Divij Sharan became India’s new number one doubles player, overtaking veteran Rohan Bopanna by moving to 38 in the ATP rankings.

The left-handed Sharan, who has been one of the most consistent players on the doubles circuit with partner Artem Sitak, has held the numero uno position in the country for the first time in his career.

Bopanna dropped nine places to 39 while Leander Paes gained two places to be 60 in the world. Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan touched a career-high rank of 72 with a jump of three places.

“It feels pretty amazing to have become the highest ranked player in India today. It’s not easy by any means with Mahesh, Leander and Rohan having dominated the doubles circuit for the last couple of decades but they have carved the path and set the trend for the rest of us,” the 32-year-old Divij said.

Taipei OEC: Ankita-Karman pair clinches title

November 18, 2018: The Indian Express

Ankita Raina and Karman Kaur Thandi -- India’s top two singles players --combined to win their maiden title on the WTA Tour, grabbing the doubles trophy at the USD 125,000 Taipei OEC Open, on Sunday. Playing first time together on the Pro circuit, the Indians clinched the title when Russia’s Olga Doroshina and Natela Dzalamidze opted out of edge-of-seat contest due to latter’s injury. The match was on even keel with both the pairs splitting the first two sets. The Indians had won the first set 6-4 but lost the second 5-7. The super tie breaker was tied 12-12 when Natela fell and suffered a hamstring injury. She struggled to even walk and they were forced to retire.

2019

ATP Los Kabos

Prajnesh beats Millman

July 31, 2019: The Times of India

Prajnesh stuns Millman, in Rd 2

Los Kabos (Mexico):

India’s top singles player Prajnesh Gunneswaran stunned World No. 67 John Millman, beginning his campaign at the ATP Los Kabos event with a bang here.

The left-hander, ranked 90 in the world, beat his Australian rival 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in one hour and 49 minutes on Monday night. There were plenty of chances that came Prajnesh’s way and he utilised five of the 16 breakpoints he earned. He also saved three of the seven chances on his own serve. Next up for Prajnesh could be World No. 28 Taylor Fritz, who recently won his maiden ATP Tour title in Eastbourne on grass.

In the doubles, the Indian pair of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Purav Raja lost their first round 3-6, 3-6 to Lucas Pouille and Gregoire Barrere. PTI

Prajnesh loses in second round

Squandering break opportunities cost Prajnesh Gunneswaran dear as the Indian made a second-round exit from the ATP Los Kabos event following defeat against world number 28 Taylor Fritz, here.

The left-handed Indian, ranked 90, could convert just one of the six break chances to eventually suffer a 6-4 3-6 2-6 defeat against the American. The 20-points earned will help Prajnesh gain two places on the ranking ladder. He also pocketed $12,825 as prize money.

ATP Banja Luka

Sumit finishes runner-up

A title continued to elude Sumit Nagal as he finished runner-up in the 46,000-euro ATP Challenger men’s tennis event in Banja Luka in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday. The 22-year-old went down to the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor 2-6, 3-6 in an hour and 30 minutes, a somewhat surprising scoreline as he had put up a strong show on the red clay throughout the tournament. AGENCIES

Balaji wins doubles title in Taipei

Kumaraswamy K, April 16, 2019: The Times of India

Sriram Balaji had a memorable start to his partnership with former Australian Open doubles champion Jonathan Erlich as the duo captured the title in the ATP Challenger 125 Series event in Chinese Taipei.

Seeded third in their first tournament together, the Indo-Israeli pair tamed fourth seeds Sander Arends of the Netherlands and Tristan-Samuel Weissborn of Austria 6-3, 6-2 in the final of the hard court tournament on Sunday.

“Definitely it is a great experience playing with Joni. I didn’t feel like this was our first time together,” said the 29-year-old Balaji, who jumped five places to 101 in the latest doubles ranking.

The champions earned 125 points and $9,300. It was his sixth career Challenger title, the previous five coming in association with Vishnu Vardhan. Although Erlich, who lifted the trophy at the Australian Open in 2008 with compatriot Andy Ram, is 42, Balaji was excited about the partnership’s prospects.

“I felt very comfortable with him. He was also sharing his experience and helping me with my game during the week, like a few things I have to work on and get better. We both complement each other very well. We are looking forward in lifting a few more titles in the coming weeks,” he said.

Bopanna, Shapovalov 2nd in ATP Mercedes Cup

June 17, 2019: The Times of India

Bopanna and Shapovalov falter in final

Stuttgart:

Rohan Bopanna

missed out on winning his second title of the season, ending runner-up at the ATP Mercedes Cup with partner Denis Shapovalov, here Sunday. The unseeded Indo-Canadian combo lost 5-7 3-6 to top seeds Bruno Soares and John Peers in the final.

Bopanna had won the season-opening Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune with compatriot Divij Sharan.

It was third tournament together for Bopanna and the Canadian, having competed at Indian Wells and Miami Masters before. AGENCIES

Davis Cup: Italy beat India 3-1

Amitava Dasgupta, No grass effect: Italy beat India 3-1, February 3, 2019: The Times of India

Doubles Pair Of Bopanna And Sharan Earns Consolation Win

Italy overcame a blip on Saturday morning to conquer India 3-1 and march into the Davis Cup Finals.

Down for the count after the opening day itself, the home team salvaged pride courtesy Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan’s come-from-behind victory over Simone Bolleli and Matteo Berrettini. The Indian pair’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph had the capacity crowd at South Club baying for more. But Prajnesh Gunneswaran once again cut a sorry figure to surrender 1-6, 4-6 to Andreas Seppi.

As India return to the zonal level for the umpteenth time, after being outclassed in the singles rubbers on their chosen surface at home, the same old question will keep haunting the tennis fraternity: where are the singles players who can win us at least two matches out of four?

Captain Mahesh Bhupathi, however, saw no reason for despair. “These boys are working their way up. Prajnesh was 300 last year, Ram (Ramanathan) is on his way up. Yuki (Bhambri) is back after injury. Once we have a fully fit team, I don’t see why we can’t make Madrid.”

That looks a distant dream after seeing the country’s latest hope Prajnesh — on the verge of breaking into the top 100 for the first time in a lateblooming career — fail to force a single break point in two matches, leave alone win a set. Against Seppi, the Indian earned a mere two points on the Italian’s serve in the opening set. He did marginally better in the second, managing to take Seppi to deuce once in five service games.

If that is a commentary on Prajnesh’s quality of returning, his serving didn’t pass muster either. In a remarkably dismal coincidence for the left-hander, he dropped serve first up. Starting off with two forehand errors, Prajnesh saved a break point only to hand Seppi the early break.

Prajnesh showed some fight in the second set, staving off five break points in the third game before succumbing after a faulty approach shot. Seppi was happy to spar from the baseline, aware that Prajnesh will falter. And when the Indian ventured to the net, following up a serve or after a long exchange, Seppi passed him comfortably.

The day started on a bright note as the 32-year-old Divij, playing only his second Davis Cup match, combined with Bopanna to turn it from being a break down in the final set.The left-handed Divij provided the early spark, holding serve easily, hustling the Italians with some sharp net play and attacking Bolleli’s second serve. The Indians missed that chance in the fourth game and were themselves under pressure on Bopanna’s serve in game 9.

Fed Cup: Kazakhstan beat India 3-0

February 9, 2019: The Times of India

India’s aspirations of qualifying for the Fed Cup World Group were dashed after hosts Kazakhstan thrashed them 3-0 in a Pool A tie here on Friday. Neither Ankita Raina nor Karman Kaur Thandi could win their singles rubbers losing to their respective opponents in straight sets and it will take some more time to realise their aspirations of making it among the elites.

It was always an uphill task for the Indians to beat the higher-ranked home players but inspirational performance by Ankita against the same players last year had raised visions of an upset.

Fed Cup: India ranked 4^th

February 10, 2019: The Times of India

India ended its campaign at the Fed Cup with a fourth place finish after losing the classification tie 1-2 to Korea as the team badly missed injured Karman Kaur Thandi, who did not play. Captain Vishal Uppal handed national champion Mahak Jain her Fed Cup debut after a groin strain forced Karman out of the tie.

The diminutive Mahak played her heart out before losing steam towards the end for a 2-6 6-3 1-6 defeat against Na Ri Kim. Like on many occasions, Ankita came out to level the tie as she outplayed Sunam Jiong 6-3 6-3.

The doubles became decisive but Ankita and Prarthana Thombare lost the close rubber 4-6 4-6 to the Korean team of Su Jeong Jang and Kim.

Indian Wells

Prajnesh pulls off Paire upset

Damayanti Dasgupta, Prajnesh pulls off Paire upset at Indian Wells, March 9, 2019: The Times of India

It was a dream debut for Prajnesh Gunneswaran in an ATP Masters event. The 29-year old from Chennai picked up a straight sets 7-6, 6-4 win over Frenchman Benoit Paire to move into the second round of the Indian Wells meet where he will face world No. 18 Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.

The world No. 97 won 72% of the points on first serve but it was his return game that made the difference against Paire. He saved five out of eight break points he faced and converted four of the six break opportunities he got on Paire’s serve.

Junior Davis Cup

India beats Indonesia 3-0

April 10, 2019: The Times of India

India blank Indonesia 3-0 in junior Davis Cup

Bangkok: After being drubbed by New Zealand, the junior Indian Davis Cup team blanked Indonesia 3-0 with Ajay Malik winning both his singles and doubles matches in the Asia-Oceania final qualifying matches. Ajay put India ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Moh Gunawan Trismuwantara in the opening singles. Sushant Dabas then sealed the tie for India by defeating Nauvaldo Jati Agatra in the second singles. In the inconsequential doubles rubber, Ajay and Divesh Gahlot came back from a set down to beat Agatra and Lucky Candra Kurniawan 6-7(6) 6-2 10-4. India next play Australia, who are favourites to top the group.

India loses 1-2 to Australia

Junior Davis Cup team loses 1-2 to Australia, April 10, 2019: The Times of India

Bangkok: The junior Indian Davis Cup team finished third in four-team Pool D after losing its last round robin league match 1-2 to Australia. Ajay Malik could take only two games in the opening singles, losing 0-6 2-6 to Phliip Luke Sekulic in just 53 minutes.

Prajnesh beats world No. 18

Damayanti Dasgupta, March 11, 2019: The Times of India

As Nikoloz Basilashvili’s forehand went wide, Prajnesh Gunneswaran clenched his fist and looked up — he seemed to have proved a point to himself. The 29-year-old had after all stunned the world No. 18 to achieve one of the biggest wins of his career so far, advancing to the third round of the Indian Wells ATP Masters event.

The qualifier, ranked 79 placed below Basilashvili, needed two hours and 31 minutes to win 6-4, 6-7(6), 7-6(4) and set up a third round clash against the big serving Ivo Karlovic. Even if he loses that match, Prajnesh will find himself in the 80s in the next world rankings.

But there wasn’t much of a celebration after the win. “I am trying to stay really calm and may be that is the reason why I have consciously toned down my celebration. But I am sure if I really manage to go deep into the tournament I can assure you the intensity of my celebration will change,” Prajnesh told TOI after his win.

St Petersburg Open

 Divij wins St Petersburg title

Sep 24, 2019: The Times of India

Divij wins title in Russia

Pune:

Divij Sharan won the second doubles title on the ATP Tour this season and the fifth of his career as he triumphed with Slovakian Igor Zelenay at the $1.2 million St Petersburg Open in Russia.

Sharan, world ranked 49, and No. 67 Zelenay defeated Matteo Berrettini and Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-3, 3-6, 10-8 in the final of the hard court event. “We played together for the first time. We grew stronger as a team match by match,” Sharan said after the victory.

The 33-year-old Delhi lad had earlier clinched the trophy with compatriot Rohan Bopanna at the Maharashtra Open, the season’s first tournament in Pune in January. For the 36-year-old Zelenay, it was his maiden ATP title. TNN

Wimbledon

Prajnesh’s campaign ends

Prajwal Hegde, July 2, 2019: The Times of India

Milos Raonic rode on a combination of serve and nerve to overpower India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran 7-6 (7-1), 6-4, 6-2 on a newly-built Court No.12 at the All England club. The 6 ft 5’ Canadian, the 2016 finalist and seeded 15ththis time, mixed his play well in the first set when he was still settling into the match to eventually speed away with a first-round Wimbledon win, closing out in 1 hour and 48 minutes.

Raonic of the thunderous serve, held at love in the opening game to set the tone for the match. If the first exchanges were about the pace of serve, Raonic’s delivery climbing to 133 mph, on which Gunneswaran won the first point against the serve in the match. The left-handed Indian’s counter came down at 124 mph. In a matter of a few games, the 15thseed realized that he wasn’t going to blaze past his opponent on the power punch, and quickly started mixing his play, using the court, soft touch and cutting angles. The 29-year-old was up to the task, refusing to succumb, to the pressure of serving second and pushing the first set to tie-break.

The Canadian didn’t win the shootout just by virtue of being the bigger server, he was also the more solid player as the Indian’s errors on the second serve cost him dear. That’s not to say Raonic didn’t produce the stellar serve, he flexed muscle with a 139 mph delivery.

Raonic broke the world No.94 in the first game of the second set.

2020

India in Fed Cup playoffs for the first time

March 9, 2020: The Times of India

The Indian Fed cup team created history by progressing to the playoffs for the first time ever with Ankita Raina leading the side to a 2-1 win over Indonesia in Dubai. Ankita on Saturday night pulled off crucial singles win against talented Aldila Sutjiadi to lock the tie 1-1 after Rutuja Bhosale suffered a crushing defeat against an unranked Priska Madelyn Nugroho.

Up against the 16-year-old Indonesian, who is ranked15th on the ITF junior circuit, Rutuja lost 3-6, 6-0, 3-6 in an hour and 43 minutes in the opening singles. Ankita, who lost her previous two singles, demolished the challenge of talented Aldila Sutjiadi 6-3, 6-3 in the second rubber. She then combined with seasoned Sania Mirza to beat Sutjiyadi and Nugroho 7-6 (4), 6-0 to seal India’s place in the playoffs where they will take on either Latvia or the Netherlands in April.

They overcame a sluggish start as they were trailing 1-4 but regrouped to dominate the set. India finished second in the six-team group with four straight wins after losing the opening tie to China, who remained unbeaten in the tournament.

Since earning their place back in the Asia/ Oceania Group I in 2016, India remained in the regional group. With the rise of Ankita, things began to improve. Rutuja also played a key role as she provided winning starts in a few ties, sharing the burden with Ankita. Sania’s return to Fed Cup after four years also helped as her inspirational presence and guidance helped the side immensely. AGENCIES

Davis Cup: Paes’ 30-year dream ends as India loses

Paes’ 30-year Davis Cup dream ends as India lose Paris:

India’s Leander Paes went down fighting as his dream of crowning his 30-year Davis Cup career with a place at the finals ended on Saturday. Paes, 46, has played for India in every Davis Cup season bar one since his debut in 1990 but went to the qualifier tie in Zagreb against two-time champions Croatia having already announced that 2020 would be his last year on tour.

With India trailing 2-0 overnight, Paes rolled back the years, linking up with 40-year-old Rohan Bopanna to defeat Mate Pavic and Franko Skugor 6-3, 6-7 (9/11), 7-5 to keep their country’s faint hopes of making the finals alive.

However, former US Open champion Marin Cilic then ruthlessly crushed that ambition with a quickfire 6-0, 6-1 demolition of Sumit Nagal. “This was going to be my last match but the captain (Rohit Rajpal) said something to me after the match,” Paes told daviscup.com, hinting that he could still play in the September play-offs. “I will leave it to the captain because whoever plays, the best thing needs to be done and the best decision needs to be made.”

Fed Cup

India beat Uzbekistan

Rutuja, Ankita help India beat Uzbekistan in Fed Cup

Dubai: Rutuja Bhosale recorded a come-from-behind win before country's No. 1 player Ankita Raina won the second singles as India secured the Fed Cup tie against Uzbekistan by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead here on Wednesday. Rutuja defeated Akgul Amanmuradova 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the opening singles to put India ahead. Ankita then humbled Sabina Sharipova to seal the tie in India's favour. AGENCIES

Ankita brings India back

Ankita brings India back, March 8, 2020: The Times of India

Dubai:

Ankita Raina pulled off a crucial win after Rutuja Bhosale suffered a crushing defeat against an unranked Priska Madelyn Nugroho as India were locked 1-1 with Indonesia in a crucial Fed Cup tie. India have never gone beyond the Asia/ Oceania Group I in their Fed Cup history and they now need to win the decisive doubles to seal their place in the play-offs.

Up against the 16-year-old Indonesian, who is ranked 15th on the ITF junior circuit, Rutuja lost 3-6 6-0 3-6 in one hour and 43 minutes in the opening singles of the crucial tie. Ankita, who lost her previous two singles, demolished the challenge of talented Aldila Sutjiadi 6-3 6-3 in the second rubber to keep India in the hunt. Ankita and Sania Mirza, who won the decisive doubles too, will now take on Sutjiadi and Priska in their final match of the competition. PTI

Poonam lone Indian in Team of Tournament

Dubai: Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav was the lone Indian to make the ICC Women’s T20 playing XI of the World Cup, which featured teenage sensation Shafali Verma as the 12th player and was dominated by champions Australia. Five players from Australia’s victorious team made the side of the tournament. Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Jess Jonassen and Megan Schutt were included along with four England players.

The side was pulled together by a selection panel featuring commentators and former international players Ian Bishop, Anjum Chopra and Lisa Sthalekar, journalist Raf Nicholson and ICC representative Holly Colvin, the ICC said in a statement. PTI The team: Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Nat Sciver, Heather Knight, Meg Lanning (capt), Laura Wolvaardt, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Ecclestone, Anya Shrubsole, Megan Schutt, Poonam Yadav. 12th player: Shafali Verma.

2021

Australian Open Qualifiers

A

Ankita moves to final round, Ram bows out of Oz Open qualifiers

Melbourne : India’s top-ranked women’s player Ankita Raina moved to the final round of the Australian Open Qualifiers with a gutsy threeset win over world number 118 Katarina Zavatska but it was curtains for Ramkumar Ramanathan in the men’s singles. In the women’s singles qualifiers being held in Dubai, Ankita overcame a second-set lapse to win 6-2 2-6 6-3 in the second round against the Ukrainian. However, Ramkumar lost his second round match 3-6 2-6 to Chinese Taipei’s Tung-Lin Wu.

See also

Sania Mirza

Leander Paes