Asian Games Tennis Row: Why Were Five Indian Players Left Out Of India’s Squad?

The controversy surrounding India’s Asian Games tennis squad has intensified, with a Sports Authority of India (SAI) source defending the omission of five players and stating that their names were never part of the shortlist submitted by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Manas Dhamne, Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Vaidehee Chaudhari and Prarthana Thombare were left out of the seven-member tennis contingent announced for the Asian Games.

Their exclusion drew sharp criticism from two-time Asian Games gold-medallist Rohan Bopanna, who questioned the process used to determine the final squad.

According to the SAI source, however, the Sports Ministry did not remove the five players from the final list. Instead, their names were absent from the shortlist forwarded by AITA to the IOA.

“Their names were not received by Sports Ministry in the final list shared by the IOA. In fact, their names were not there in the short list sent by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to the IOA,” the source told PTI.

The source also pointed to the selection criteria introduced by the Sports Ministry last September. Under the policy, players must be ranked among Asia’s top six for singles events and inside the top eight for doubles, with rankings assessed over a 12-month evaluation period.

The Ministry reiterated on Monday that these benchmarks would not be relaxed despite the growing criticism.

The five excluded players have nevertheless built strong domestic and international credentials. Sahaja, ranked 344th in the world, is currently India’s top-ranked women’s singles player, while Vaishnavi, ranked 388th, is the country’s second-ranked player in the category.

Dhamne, meanwhile, is only 18 but has already reached a Challenger-level final. Vaidehee is a two-time national champion, while Prarthana has previously won an Asian Games bronze medal in 2014.

Bopanna had argued that the players deserved the opportunity to compete and gain experience at the continental event.

“A committee that never stood where they stood has decided their fate on paper, before a ball is struck,” Bopanna said.

The former India star also criticised the broader approach to selection, saying, “You don't build a sporting nation, or a sporting economy, by deciding in a boardroom who's allowed to compete.”

The SAI source countered that argument, insisting that the Asian Games should not be used as an exposure event for players who do not satisfy the established benchmarks.

“Exposure trips belong on the ITF and Challenger circuits, not at the Asian Games,” the source said.

The source further raised concerns over the proposed women’s doubles combination involving Prarthana and Vaidehee. Although the two were potential partners for the event, they have never played together, which the SAI source said could affect their competitiveness.

“(It) raises legitimate questions about their preparedness and intent to build a competitive partnership ahead of the Asian Games,” the source said.

The current Asian rankings also make the Ministry’s benchmark particularly demanding in women’s singles. Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina is Asia’s top-ranked player and No. 2 in the world, while Japan’s Naomi Osaka is second in the continental standings and 13th globally. All six of Asia’s highest-ranked players are currently inside the world’s top 100.

India’s final tennis squad contains only one singles player, with Sumit Nagal set to represent the country in the men’s singles event. Ramkumar Ramanathan, Saketh Myneni and Yuki Bhambri will feature in the doubles events, alongside Rutuja Bhosale and Ankita Raina.

The selection dispute has also emerged against the backdrop of increased financial support for Indian tennis. The sport has been allocated Rs 10.05 crore under the 2026-27 Annual Competition and Training Calendar (ACTC), including more than Rs 2 crore for overseas training and competition.

With calls for the criteria to be reconsidered growing, the Sports Ministry has so far refused to make an exception for the excluded players. The SAI source argued that allowing discretionary selections for athletes outside the prescribed ranking bracket could create a precedent for other sports federations.

“Creating discretionary back-channel clearances for tennis players ranked 25th to 40th in Asia would destroy administrative integrity and trigger widespread litigation from other National Sports Federations,” the source said.

The dispute, therefore, is not merely about five players missing from an Asian Games squad but also about where India should draw the line between strict performance-based selection and providing athletes with opportunities to gain experience at major multi-sport events.