NEW DELHI: India’s headline-makers at Wimbledon have been cricketers Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Chahar and Ravi Shastri and never the tennis gamers. As a substitute of the motion on the tennis court docket, India’s consideration has thus been on these occupying the seats on the prestigious Grand Slam.Sumit Nagal misplaced within the first spherical of singles qualifying; Yuki Bhambri went the furthest in doubles with a 3rd spherical foray. Rohan Bopanna bowed out within the first spherical whereas N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli solely did one higher. In blended doubles, Bhambri suffered a second spherical exit as nicely.That has largely been the sorry story of Indian tennis at main tournaments. Ever since Nagal’s momentous win in opposition to Alexander Bublik on the 2024 Australian Open, Indian tennis has had little to rejoice. That, too, was an anomaly.It has now been 10 years since India had one thing to rejoice at Wimbledon. And there have been a number of causes then. Sania Mirza and Leander Paes received ladies’s and blended doubles, respectively, with Martina Hingis. Nagal triumphed within the boys doubles with Vietnam’s Ly Hoang Nam.
Within the ensuing 10 years, solely three Indians have reached the primary draw of Wimbledon singles – Bhambri in 2018, Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 and Nagal in 2024. All three suffered first spherical losses.“We used to all the time be the most effective nation in Asia by an extended shot, particularly in Davis Cup. And at this time, we aren’t,” stated two-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist Vijay Amritraj on Media Day on JioStar.“Quantity two is, we do not need any gamers in prime 100. Quantity three is, until you get a bunch of gamers within the prime 100 and 50s like Italy has completed, you are not going to have the ability to compete within the World Group of Davis Cup or be a challenger to any of the tournaments. As a matter of reality, we have not had anybody really performing nicely on the Championships or on the US Open for fairly a while.“It is all the time concerning the singles. We have all the time requested the query about (Carlos) Alcaraz, (Jannik) Sinner, (Daniil) Medvedev, (Andrey) Rublev, (Novak) Djokovic, (Aryna) Sablenka. Every part is concerning the singles. There’s by no means any query about the rest.“You begin the sport to play and win a Grand Slam ultimately, for those who’re adequate, and you’re employed exhausting sufficient, and also you’re gifted sufficient to have the ability to exploit your abilities and exploit your potential to have the ability to get there with a piece ethic that transcends every little thing else. And that’s the solely success in tennis,” he added.Amritraj, now a commentator, pressured on the significance of constructing their method by the juniors citing examples of Andy Murray, Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner.“I posted an image on Instagram just a few days in the past, the place final Friday was the fortieth anniversary of my beating Yannick Noah on the Centre Court docket at Wimbledon, when he had received the French Championships, a yr earlier than we performed.“And that was the final time there was an Indian enjoying singles at Wimbledon on the Centre Court docket. So I believe now we have to revamp all of that to see how we will get to having a complete bunch of fellows: 5, 6, 8, 10 gamers ultimately get into the highest 100,” added Amritraj who reached a career-high 18th on the earth.In April, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka had spoken of the grind in among the East European international locations with among the prime gamers together with Elena Rybakina, Marketa Vondrousova and earlier 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova. In the identical vein, why do not the Indian gamers come by?The 71-year-old conceded there’s little the nationwide affiliation – All India Tennis Affiliation (AITA) – can do in such circumstances.“There may be little or no associations can do, to be sincere. I imply, for those who have a look at quite a lot of international locations, it’s a very individualistic entry in sport to have the ability to work like there is not any tomorrow, wherever you are doing that work.
“And there are two essential features right here. If you happen to work 110% consistently and shield your physique, then there’s a 100% probability that you’ll make it. If you don’t work 110%, then there’s completely zero probability of constructing it.“And after I say making it, I am speaking about making an attempt to make it to the highest 100 or the highest 50. I am not speaking about doubtlessly ultimately successful it both. I am speaking about really being probably the greatest on the earth to have the ability to have a really robust aggressive edge in tournaments.“Possibly not even successful a Grand Slam, however definitely competing on the highest degree. That is crucial factor. As we speak, we’re consistently making an attempt to get to the qualifying. That’s the largest concern. And this was not the case 30-40 years in the past. That is my entire level,” he completed.
