India's top singles player Somdev Devvarman's decision to concentrate on the ATP tour at the expense of the upcoming Asian Games has come under sharp criticism from the All India Tennis Federation.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
Somdev Devverman kept India's hopes alive in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie with a 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic, in Delhi, on Friday.
According to the latest rankings issued on Monday, the left-handed Sharan is ranked 50th after gaining a place. He had reached the final of the last three tournaments he participated in, winning the ATP 250 European Open, while ending runner-up at Challenger events in Brest and Tashkent with different partners.
Long-serving Leander Paes was, on Thursday, dropped for the first time in 27 years from India's Davis Cup squad as non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi picked Rohan Bopanna instead for the tie against Uzbekistan.
The 29-year-old dismissed suggestions that his Australian Open appearance could motivate more players in the world's second-most populous country.
How the 22-year-old Indian reached the Show Court at US Open, finding himself against 20-time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer after beginning the year outside 350.
Widening its net, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has, for the first time ever, collected samples from close to 20 tennis players competing at the National Tennis Championships at DLTA Complex, in New Delhi.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
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India's schedule on the ninth day of the competitions at the Asian Games in Incheon on Sunday.
India's Davis Cup captain Mahesh Bhupathi refused to reveal the doubles combination for the Davis Cup tie against Uzbekistan, asserting that focus should be on winning all the matches instead of obsessing over one.
World number two Simona Halep beat Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2 in the China Open third round on Wednesday for her first win over the Russian in eight attempts.
Ramkumar Ramanathan, who will be playing singles alongside Prajnesh Gunneswaran, will form the second men's doubles pairing with Sumit Nagal, who arrived only late on Friday night.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday.
Gunning for yet another Grand Slam title, India's old war horse Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek have been seeded fifth at the Australian Open and they will open their campaign against Czech pair of Lukas Dlouhy and Lukas Rosol.
India's Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali feels that although world No 1 Novak Djokovic's participation will tilt the balance in Serbia's favour in the upcoming Davis Cup World Group play-off tie, it would be a tie worth remembering for the spectators.
Having fired 20 aces in his straight-set victory over the Czech Republic's number one, Jiri Vesley, in the Davis Cup World Group play-off tie in Delhi on Friday, Somdev Devvarman declared it was one of the best serving days of his career.
Saina Mirza and Saketh Myneni proved too strong for the Chinese Taipei combination of Hsien Yin Peng and Hao Ching Chan to win the gold in the mixed doubles final at the Asian Games.
Their commitment to country questioned after the pull-out from the Asian Games, India's top tennis players on Wednesday tried to put their decision in perspective by saying that they have an obligation to earn their "bread and butter".
Leander Paes will make it to his seventh Olympic Games after the All India Tennis Association on Saturday announced that that the veteran would partner Rohan Bopanna in the men's doubles at the Rio Games in August.
The 36-year-old Swiss master needs only to reach the semi-finals at the ABN Amro tennis event to overtake Rafael Nadal at the top of the ATP rankings and become world number one for the first time since November 2012.
A player cannot pull off a marathon five-setter on his own and it takes contribution from the entire team to eke out such a win, Somdev Devvarman said after winning a tough second singles match against Ti Chen.
Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi insists that his consistent presence on the pro circuit should not be considered preparations for the Rio Olympics.
Vishnu Vardhan won his second Challenger level title of the season with Japanese partner Toshihide Matsui but four other Indians, including Leander Paes, tumbled out of various ATP events across the globe.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova glittered under the Rod Laver Arena lights on Monday, restoring order at the Australian Open after eight women's seeds crashed out in the afternoon sun on a manic opening day. The evergreen Federer strolled into the second round with a classy 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 win over Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun before fellow-second seed Sharapova ruined Croatian qualifier Petra Martic's 24th birthday with a 6-4, 6-1 victory.
Veteran tennis star Leander Paes was retained in the Indian Davis Cup team for next month's Asia/Oceania Zone tie against Uzbekistan.
Divij Sharan, who was a reserve in the Indian Davis Cup team, has decided not to travel for the away tie against China, a move which may soon pave the way for introduction of a code of conduct for players.
AITA brought back old warhorse Leander Paes in the Davis Cup team despite 'reservations' from seasoned campaigner Rohan Bopanna.
On a high after winning the WTA Finals doubles crown and a clutch of prestigious titles this year, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza says she is now bracing up for the International Premier Tennis League where she would play in the same team as World No 2 Switzerland's Roger Federer.
Leander Paes' hopes of creating a world record in Davis Cup were dashed when the veteran Indian and Vishnu Vardhan lost the third rubber to strong rivals Artem Sitak and Michael Venus, who kept the New Zealand alive in the Asia-Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
It's an acid test against the Czech Republic in the World Group Play-off tie, but Rohan Bopanna is confident India's Davis Cup team can tame the world number one three-time champions.
Keeping the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind, the sports ministry has included the doubles duo of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, who won the Asian Games gold last year, have been kept in TOPS scheme.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
Leander Paes became the most successful player in the history of Davis Cup as he combined with Rohan Bopanna to not only grab a record 43rd win but also bring India back in tie against China, in Tianjin, on Saturday.
Tennis great Vijay Amritraj says there should be least controversy with regards to India's doubles combination in Davis Cup since the doubles match matters only when there are 'even singles matches'.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
India's tennis campaign at the Asian Games appears to be falling apart even before the start of the inter-continental event, as a cloud of doubt now hangs over Rohan Bopanna's participation since the top doubles player is keen to salvage his 2014 pro season by playing on the ATP Tour instead of competing in Incheon.
Beset by injuries to singles players and 'mistrust' between the Rio-bound doubles players, India would expect young Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni to rise to the occasion when they face Korea in the Asia/Oceania Group I Davis Cup tie, starting, in Chandigarh, on Friday.
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