Tennis in India

Tennis enjoys a considerable following in India, although it is limited to urban areas but still it is counted among the most popular sports in India.[1] India has produced a number of tennis players, who have achieved international recognition and have made their presence in some of the top tennis tournaments and grand slams.[2] All India Tennis Association (AITA) established in 1920, is the governing body of tennis in India and is a member of the Asian Tennis Federation.[3] India Davis Cup team is the most successful team of Asia in Davis Cup, who has finished as runners-up 3 times.[4]

Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza at 2011 French Open.

Tennis in India
CountryIndia
Governing bodyAll India Tennis Association
National team(s)[[India national team|India]]

History

Tennis has been a popular sport in England since around the 1880s when the British Army and Civilian Officers brought the game to India. Soon after regular tournaments like the 'Punjab Lawn tennis Championship' at Lahore (Now in Pakistan) (1885); 'Bengal Lawn Tennis Championship' at Calcutta (now Kolkata) (1887) and the 'All India Tennis Championships' at Allahabad (1910) were organised. In the history of major tournaments, India has already beaten among others France, Romania, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Greece in Davis Cup ties (1921 to 1929).[5][6]

The history of tennis in India goes back a long way. In the 1880s, the Britishers introduced the game of tennis in India during the colonial rule and soon it started gaining momentum. BK Nehru in 1905 and Sardar Nihal Singh in 1908 were later joined by M Saleem, Fayzee brothers and Jagat Mohan Lal who made it to last 16 stages at the Wimbledon. Ghaus Mohammad was the first Indian to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 1939 where he lost to American champion Bobby Riggs.

According to the All India Tennis Association, in Davis Cup ties between 1921 and 1929, India beat, among others, France, Romania, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Greece. Top Indian players like Saleem, Fayzee brothers, Cotah Ramaswamy and Krishna Prasad beat a large number of ranked European players and teams to bring glory to the nation.

In the 1960s, the sport witnessed a golden era. Ramanathan Krishnan earned his highest seeding – No. 4 in Wimbledon in 1962. In the Davis Cup, India repeatedly became the Zonal Champions. Ramanathan Krishnan, along with Premjit Lal, SP Misra, Jaidip and RK Khanna as the non-playing captain, steered India to the Cup finals in 1966. They lost the Cup but not before Krishnan and J Mukerjea beat Newcombe and Tony Roche, the Wimbledon champions, (1965) in doubles.

In the 1970s, Vijay Amritraj burst onto the scene. With teammates Sashi Menon, Jasjit Singh and brother Anand Amritraj, Vijay took India to World Cup Finals for the second time in 1974. Vijay also made it to the quarterfinals of US Open in 1973 and 1981; and Wimbledon in 1973 and 1974. Ramesh Krishnan, the son of Ramanathan Krishnan, won the junior Wimbledon championship and junior French Open title in 1979 and was ranked number 1 junior in the world. He made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon (1986) and US Open (twice).[7]

The 1990s saw the rise of Leander Paes who won the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 1997, Mahesh Bhupati became India's first ever grand slam winner when he won the mixed doubles at French Open. Paes partnered with Bhupati to reach the finals of all four grand slams in 1999, winning two.[8] In the 2000s and 2010s, playing separately or together, Paes and Bhupati won several grand slam doubles and mixed doubles tournaments.

The 2000s saw India's first WTA tournament winner Sania Mirza. Mirza also won a number of grand slam titles in doubles in the late 2000s and 2010s.

India's last grand slam win came in 2017 when Rohan Bopanna won the mixed doubles title at French Open. At the end of 2010s, Prajnesh Gunneswaran was the only Indian men's singles player in the top 100.[9]

Grand Slam Finals

In 1997, India won their first Grand Slam title at the French open, in the Mixed Doubles. Since then Indians have won Grand Slam titles in the Mixed Doubles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles besides Girls' Doubles events. No Indian has so far won a Grand Slam Singles title in the Men's or Women's category.

Mixed Doubles

Outcome Year Championship Surface Players Opponents in the final Score in the final
Winner1997French OpenClay Mahesh Bhupathi
Rika Hiraki
Patrick Galbraith
Lisa Raymond
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up1998WimbledonGrass Mahesh Bhupathi
Mirjana Lučić
Serena Williams
Max Mirnyi
4–6, 4–6
Winner1999US OpenHard Mahesh Bhupathi
Ai Sugiyama
Donald Johnson
Kimberly Po
6–4, 6–4
Winner1999WimbledonGrass Leander Paes
Lisa Raymond
Anna Kournikova
Jonas Björkman
6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Runner-up2001US OpenHard Leander Paes
Lisa Raymond
Rennae Stubbs
Todd Woodbridge
6–4, 5–7, 6–7 (9–11)
Winner2002Wimbledon (2)Grass Mahesh Bhupathi
Elena Likhovtseva
Daniela Hantuchová
Kevin Ullyett
6–2, 7–5
Winner2003Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Martina Navratilova
Eleni Daniilidou
Todd Woodbridge
6–4, 7–5
Runner-up2003French OpenClay Mahesh Bhupathi
Elena Likhovtseva
Lisa Raymond
Mike Bryan
3–6, 4–6
Winner2003Wimbledon (3)Grass Leander Paes
Martina Navratilova
Anastasia Rodionova
Andy Ram
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up2004Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Martina Navratilova
Elena Bovina
Nenad Zimonjić
6–1, 7–6
Runner-up2005French OpenClay Leander Paes
Martina Navratilova
Daniela Hantuchová
Fabrice Santoro
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Winner2005Wimbledon (4)Grass Mahesh Bhupathi
Mary Pierce
Tatiana Perebiynis
Paul Hanley
6–4, 6–2
Winner2005US Open (2)Hard Mahesh Bhupathi
Daniela Hantuchová
Katarina Srebotnik
Nenad Zimonjić
6–4, 6–2
Winner2006Australian Open (2)Hard Mahesh Bhupathi
Martina Hingis
Elena Likhovtseva
Daniel Nestor
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up2007US OpenHard Leander Paes
Meghann Shaughnessy
Victoria Azarenka
Max Mirnyi
6–4, 7–6(8–6)
Runner-up2008Australian OpenHard Mahesh Bhupathi
Sania Mirza
Sun Tiantian
Nenad Zimonjić
6–7(4–7), 4–6
Winner2008US Open (3)Hard Leander Paes
Cara Black
Liezel Huber
Jamie Murray
7–6, 6–4
Winner2009Australian Open (3)Hard Mahesh Bhupathi
Sania Mirza
Nathalie Dechy
Andy Ram
6–3, 6–1
Runner-up2009WimbledonGrass Leander Paes
Cara Black
Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Mark Knowles
7–5, 6–3
Runner-up2009US OpenHard Leander Paes
Cara Black
Carly Gullickson
Travis Parrot
6–2, 6–4
Winner2010Australian Open (4)Hard Leander Paes
Cara Black
Ekaterina Makarova
Jaroslav Levinský
7–5, 6–3
Winner2010Wimbledon (5)Grass Leander Paes
Cara Black
Lisa Raymond
Wesley Moodie
6–4, 7–6
Runner-up2011WimbledonGrass Mahesh Bhupathi
Elena Vesnina
Iveta Benešová
Jürgen Melzer
3–6, 2–6
Runner-up2012Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Elena Vesnina
Bethanie Mattek-Sands
Horia Tecău
3–6, 7–5, [3–10]
Winner2012French Open (2)Clay Mahesh Bhupathi
Sania Mirza
Klaudia Jans-Ignacik
Santiago González
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Runner-up2012WimbledonGrass Leander Paes
Elena Vesnina
Lisa Raymond
Mike Bryan
3–6, 7–5, 4–6
Runner-up2014Australian OpenHard Horia Tecău
Sania Mirza
Kristina Mladenovic
Daniel Nestor
3–6, 2–6
Winner2014US OpenHard Bruno Soares
Sania Mirza
Abigail Spears
Santiago González
6–1, 2–6, [11–9]
Winner2015Australian Open (3)Hard Leander Paes
Martina Hingis
Kristina Mladenovic
Daniel Nestor
6–4, 6–3
Winner2015Wimbledon (4)Grass Leander Paes
Martina Hingis
Alexander Peya
Timea Babos
6–1, 6–1
Winner 2017 French Open Clay Gabriela Dabrowski
Rohan Bopanna
Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Robert Farah
2–6, 6–2, [12–10]
Runner up 2018 Australian Open Hard Tímea Babos
Rohan Bopanna
Gabriela Dabrowski
Mate Pavić
6–2, 4–6, [9–11]

Men's Doubles

Outcome Year Championship Surface Players Opponents in the final Score in the final
Runner-up1999Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Jonas Björkman
Patrick Rafter
3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 7–6(12–10), 4–6
Winner1999French OpenClay Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Goran Ivanišević
Jeff Tarango
6–2, 7–5
Winner1999WimbledonGrass Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Paul Haarhuis
Jared Palmer
6–7, 6–3, 6–4, 7–6
Runner-up1999US OpenHard Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Sébastien Lareau
Alex O'Brien
6–7, 4–6
Winner2001French Open (2)Clay Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Petr Pála
Pavel Vízner
7–6, 6–3
Winner2002US OpenHard Mahesh Bhupathi
Max Mirnyi
Jiří Novák
Radek Štěpánek
6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Runner-up2003WimbledonGrass Mahesh Bhupathi
Max Mirnyi
Jonas Björkman
Todd Woodbridge
6–3, 3–6, 6–7(4–7), 3–6
Runner-up2004US OpenHard Leander Paes
David Rikl
Mark Knowles
Daniel Nestor
3–6, 3–6
Runner-up2006Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Martin Damm
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Winner2006US Open (2)Hard Leander Paes
Martin Damm
Jonas Björkman
Max Mirnyi
6–7(5–7), 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up2008US OpenHard Leander Paes
Lukáš Dlouhý
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–7(5–7), 6–7(10–12)
Runner-up2009Australian OpenHard Mahesh Bhupathi
Mark Knowles
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–2, 5–7, 0–6
Winner2009French Open (3)Clay Leander Paes
Lukáš Dlouhý
Wesley Moodie
Dick Norman
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up2009US OpenHard Mahesh Bhupathi
Mark Knowles
Lukáš Dlouhý
Leander Paes
6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Winner2009US Open (3)Hard Leander Paes
Lukáš Dlouhý
Mahesh Bhupathi
Mark Knowles
3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up2010French OpenClay Leander Paes
Lukáš Dlouhý
Nenad Zimonjić
Daniel Nestor
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up2010US OpenHard Rohan Bopanna
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
6–7(5–7), 6–7(4–7)
Runner-up2011Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Mahesh Bhupathi
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
3–6, 4–6
Winner2012Australian OpenHard Leander Paes
Radek Štěpánek
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
7–6(7–1), 6–2
Runner-up2012US OpenHard Leander Paes
Radek Štěpánek
Bob Bryan
Mike Bryan
3–6, 4–6
Winner2013US Open (4)Hard Leander Paes
Radek Štěpánek
Alexander Peya
Bruno Soares
6–1, 6–3

Women's Doubles

Outcome Year Championship Surface Players Opponents in the final Score in the final
Runner-up2011French OpenClay Sania Mirza
Elena Vesnina
Andrea Hlaváčková
Lucie Hradecká
4–6, 3–6
Winner2015WimbledonGrass Sania Mirza
Martina Hingis
Ekaterina Makarova
Elena Vesnina
5–7, 7–6(7–4), 7–5
Winner2015US OpenHard Sania Mirza
Martina Hingis
Casey Dellacqua
Yaroslava Shvedova
6-3, 6-3
Winner2016Australian OpenHard Sania Mirza
Martina Hingis
Andrea Hlaváčková
Lucie Hradecká
7–6(7–1), 6-3

References

  1. Robertson, Max (1974). The encyclopedia of tennis. London: Allen and Unwin. p. 392. ISBN 0-04-796042-6.
  2. "Tennis in India". Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  3. "National Associations and their Offices". Asian Tennis Federation. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  4. "Champions". Davis Cup (official website). Archived from the original on 22 December 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  5. "AITA History". All India Tennis Association. Archived from the original on 22 November 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  6. Tilden, William Tatem & Fletcher, John (2004). The Art of Lawn Tennis. U.S.: Kessinger Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 1-4191-5265-3.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2019.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. https://frontline.thehindu.com/static/html/fl1613/16131280.htm
  9. https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles?rankDate=2019-09-09&rankRange=0-100&countryCode=IND
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