The Sports Ministry has confirmed that Wimbledon doubles champion Sania Mirza has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna but made it clear that the final decision rests with only the Awards Committee.
Mahesh Bhupathi will retire form tennis next year. The 38-year-old, the first Indian to win a Grand Slam title -- when he partnered Japan's Rika Hiraki to win the mixed doubles at the French Open in 1997 -- announced he will hang up his racket at the end of next year.
Senior pro Leander Paes's place in the Indian Davis Cup team will be up for discussion when the AITA Selection Committee meets on Monday to pick the squad for the upcoming Asia/Oceania Zone tie against Uzbekistan.
In a surprise decision, Ankita was left out of the financial assistance scheme despite being India's top-ranked player. The Sports Ministry included second-highest ranked player Karman Kaur Thandi and Prarthana Thombare apart from seasoned Sania Mirza for Rs 50,000 monthly allowance.
Zeeshan Ali said Indian players are expected to do well in the World Group Play-off tie
Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna heaved a sigh of relief as the All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Thursday allowed the duo to team up for the upcoming London Olympics.
In a new twist to the crisis in Indian tennis, Somdev Devvarman, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, has said he is fit to partner Leander Paes in the Olympics if asked by the All India Tennis Association (AITA).
India have decided to host their February 1 to 3 Davis Cup tie against Korea in the national capital.
Somdev Devvarman stoutly defended his decision to skip the Asian Games, saying "it did not make any sense" playing in Incheon for three weeks at a time when he is striving to return to the top-100.
Clay is not his preferred surface but Yuki Bhambri says he is ready for the French Open challenge and staying patient during long rallies will be key for his maiden campaign at the Roland Garros.
Path-breaking tennis ace Sania Mirza takes pride in the fact that many of India's sporting stars, outside cricket, are women even though she believes that it will take a few more generations before being a sportswoman is seen as a natural career choice in the country. The winner of six Grand Slam titles, spoke on a range of issues including the role of parents and attitude of coaches towards women players during a webinar organised by the All India Tennis Association and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
His participation at the Rio Olympics still shrouded in suspense, veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes does not want another acrimonious build up to the Games, hoping that India will send its "best" team to the quadrennial extravaganza.
Somdev Devvarman will spearhead India's singles challenge in a four-member team announced by the All India Tennis Association on Friday for the Davis Cup World Group playoffs against Japan from September 16 to 18.
A refurbished R K Khanna Tennis Complex was formally handed over to Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Monday, at a ceremony attended by Union Minister of Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Unlike other stadia, upgradation of which is being undertaken by government agencies like the DDA and NDMC, the tennis venue was completed by the All India Tennis Association (AITA).
The evening start for the Davis Cup tie against Spain has caught the Indian team by surprise with captain Anand Amritraj calling it an 'unfortunate' decision that has compromised the country's home advantage.
Anecdotes on Leander Paes flew thick and fast as India's tennis greats, former and present, came together to celebrate the 12-time Grand Slam winner's 21 years of representing the nation in Davis Cup.
India's top tennis players, who had threatened to boycott the Commonwealth Games because of non-payment of dues, on Saturday pledged to represent the country in the mega event after being given a categorical assurance that the vexed issues would be resolved soon.
Surprisingly, Yuki Bhambri has preferred a smaller $50,000 Challenger tournament in Kobe, Japan, while Ramkumar Ramanathan has to attend a mandatory ATP educative programme in London.
His recent success on the ITF circuit on Tuesday fetched teenage sensation Yuki Bhambri a place in the Indian Davis Cup squad for the crucial World Group play-off tie against South Africa scheduled September 18 to 20.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
Leander Paes made a return while Yuki Bhambri was left out of a five-member Indian squad picked for the Davis Cup World Group first round tie against Russia in Moscow from March 5-7.
World No 1 Sania Mirza was, on Monday, named captain of the Indian team for next year's Fed Cup while two six-member squads were announced by the AITA selection panel for the South Asian Games.
At the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe, England forfeited their Pool A match against Zimbabwe for security reasons, while New Zealand forfeited their Pool B match against Kenya, also for safety concerns.
Australia's tennis federation have requested their Davis Cup tie against India be moved out of the country due to security concerns. The Indian hosts, however, remain confident of staging the May event.
The International Tennis Federation will consider an appeal from India seeking a heavier penalty on Australia for forfeiting last month's Davis Cup tie in Chennai due to security concerns. The ITF said on Friday it had received an appeal from the All India Tennis Association which would be discussed at a board meeting on July 15.
Leander Paes gave ample indications that he will not announce his Davis Cup retirement.
The All India Tennis Association ruled out shifting the May 8-10 Davis Cup match between India and Australia from Chennai, saying proper security arrangements will be in place to hold trouble-free matches.
India, with players of the caliber of Sumit Nagal, Ramkumar Ramanathan and veteran Leander Paes, were already expected to win easy but pulling out of Pakistan top players Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Aqeel Khan has made it a no-contest.
Nandan Bal is to continue as India's Davis Cup coach as the All India Tennis Association named four-member support staff for the away Davis Cup tie against Romania.
India's Davis Cup tie against Pakistan at Islamabad next month has been postponed to November under "exceptional circumstances" after a security review, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Thursday.
Not willing to take it lying down, Leander Paes on Thursday hit back at Mahesh Bhupathi, saying it was "silly" and "childish" on his part to put personal preferences ahead of national interest which jeopardises India's medal chances in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Apollo Tyres refused to share the information sought by the All India Tennis Association regarding their Mission 2018 project.
Former Davis Cup player S P Mishra, manager of the team in the tie against Japan in April, has been appointed non-playing captain for the World Group play-off match against Romania in September.
In a significant development, Sania Mirza has agreed to play in the upcoming Asian Games, two days after All India Tennis Association announced that they would allow top players to miss the Incheon event, keeping in mind their requirements on the professional circuit.
Karan Rastogi has withdrawn from the rebelling faction in the Davis Cup team asking for Leander Paes's ouster.
India's feuding doubles pair Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have agreed to set aside their differences and team up for the Beijing Olympics. They will play together in two events before and after Wimbledon, and then train together under the supervision of Rick Leach, Paes's coach, and Bhupathi's trainer Scott Davidoff.
Tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi on Wednesday justified his decision to prefer Rohan Bopanna ahead of Leander Paes to represent India at the Beijing Olympic Games, saying the combination may not be the best but at least it has the preparation required to compete at the professional level.
The All India Tennis Association has declined to consider Mahesh Bhupathi's request to play with Rohan Bopanna at the Beijing Olympics.
The Sports Ministry dropped para-sports coach Satyanarayana from the list of this year's Dronacharya awardees due to a criminal case pending against him, but made no changes to the names recommended for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards.
Prakash Amritraj and national champion Vishnu Vardhan were awarded wildcards for the 2008 Chennai Open.
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