The Asian Games 2026 are approaching, with Indian athletes stepping up preparations for the multi-sport extravaganza in Aichi-Nagoya.
However, India's tennis contingent has been hit by a major setback after the government approved a much smaller squad than the one proposed by the All India Tennis Association (AITA).
AITA had originally proposed a 12-member tennis contingent, including six women, for the Games. However, the final squad has been cut down to just seven players, leaving several key singles contenders out of India's Asian Games plans.
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The decision has raised questions over India's tennis medal prospects, particularly with some of the players initially selected by the national federation now missing from the final list.
AITA Tried To Convince Government
AITA interim Secretary General Sunder Iyer revealed that the federation made efforts to convince the authorities to approve the full 12-member squad.
However, the Ministry reportedly relied on its medal-potential criteria while finalising India's entries for the Asian Games.
“We tried our best to convince the authorities to send all the selected players, but they are citing the criteria of sending only the top-8 players in Asia. It’s disappointing but the criteria is the same for all sports, what to do,” Iyer told PTI.
Seven Tennis Players To Represent India
With the government approving only seven players, India will head into the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a significantly reduced tennis contingent.
The biggest impact has been felt in the singles department, where some players who were part of AITA's original selection have been left out.
The reduction also limits India's options across different events, particularly in doubles, where having a larger pool of players can provide greater flexibility in forming combinations.
Why Has The Squad Been Reduced?
The government's decision is understood to be linked to the medal-potential criteria, which reportedly focuses on athletes ranked among the top eight in Asia.
While the policy is being applied across sports, it has created frustration within Indian tennis community.
The Asian Games remain one of the most important multi-sport events for Indian tennis, with the country having enjoyed success in previous editions.
The debate over the selection criteria and the players left behind is likely to continue ahead of the Games.