Experienced players Yuki Bhambri, Sania Mirza and Leander Paes will not be part of the Indian tennis contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, slated to be held in Indonesia from 18 August.
Bhambri has been exempted by the All India Tennis Association's (AITA) selection committee as he will likely be in the main draw of the US Open.
On the other hand, Mirza, who has won at least one medal at every Asian Games since her Asiad debut in 2002, will miss the Games owing to her pregnancy.
Leander Paes pulled out of the Asian Games on Thursday after being miffed about not getting a “specialist” men's doubles partner.
The 18-time Grand Slam champion, was asked to team up with struggling singles player Sumit Nagal after All India Tennis Association (AITA) agreed to pair India’s top doubles players Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan in the men's doubles, on their request.
The Indian men's team will comprise Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sumit Nagal, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan.
The women’s team comprises Ankita Raina, Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale, Pranjala Yadlapalli, Riya Bhatia and Prarthna Thombare.
Here’s a look at the five players to watch in the Indian Asian Games tennis squad.
1. Ramkumar Ramanathan
Ramkumar Ramanathan missed making history on Sunday after he lost his first ATP Tour final to USA’s Steve Johnson 5-7, 6-3, 2-6 at the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport. Ramanathan was looking to become the first Indian to win an ATP singles title since Leander Paes in 1998.
The 23-year-old, who turned professional in 2014, hasn’t won an ATP title yet. With Bhambri unavailable, Ramanathan will be taking the lead in the singles matches.
2. Rohan Bopanna
Rohan Bopanna hasn’t won a single title this year. The 38-year-old, who turned pro in 2003, has two Afro-Asian Games gold medals to his name. These are the only medals Bopanna has won while playing for India.
In the recent months, Bopanna’s best finish has been the quarter-final at the French Open along with Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the men’s doubles draw.
Teaming up with Paes in the Davis Cup match against China, the duo won 5-7 7-6(5) 7-6(3) against Mo Xin Gong and Ze Zhang in Tianjin.
3. Divij Sharan
Divij Sharan has an Asian Games bronze medal to his name. He clinched the medal in the men’s doubles draw with Yuki Bhambri in Incheon in 2014.
Sharan has had an interesting July, reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon with partner Artem Sitak and the semi-finals of the Hall of Fame Open with partner Jackson Withrow in the men’s doubles competition.
4. Ankita Raina
Ankita Raina became the fifth Indian woman to break into the top 200 in the rankings, when she scaled to the 197th spot in April, earlier this year.
Raina, who hasn’t won a WTA title yet, won an ITF-level tournament at Nonthaburi, Thailand, earlier this month.
Raina, will most probably lead the singles charge in the women’s draw.
5. Karman Kaur Thandi
Karman Kaur Thandi has three ITF-level doubles titles and one ITF-level singles title to her name. The 20-year-old, who hasn’t participated in a quadrennial event yet, will be partnering Ankita Raina in the women’s doubles draw in all likelihood.
Thandi hasn’t played in a senior Grand Slam event and her only appearance for India has been in the Fed Cup, earlier this year.
Thandi won her first singles tournament in Hong Kong last month.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI)
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