Row Over Selection Criteria: AITA and Rohan Bopanna Criticize Asian Games Tennis Omissions
NEW DELHI: A fresh controversy has erupted over India’s tennis contingent for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as the Sports Ministry’s rigid selection policies have left several promising young athletes sidelined.
While the All India Tennis Association (AITA) had recommended a 12-member squad, the Sports Ministry pruned the list down to seven. Among those excluded are rising stars Manas Dhamne and Vaishnavi Adkar—players who were specifically included in the government’s Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) earlier this year with the intent of grooming them for international success.
A Boardroom vs. The Court
The exclusion has drawn sharp criticism from veteran tennis star and two-time Asian Games gold medalist Rohan Bopanna. In a scathing post on LinkedIn, the veteran doubles ace questioned the logic of a selection process that ignores current rankings and on-court performance.
“Five players… earned their rankings the hard way. No shortcuts. No favours. They competed internationally, qualified and proved where they stand,” Bopanna wrote. “Now a committee that never stood where they stood has decided their fate on paper, before a ball is struck. If outcomes are already decided, why have qualification at all?”
Bopanna emphasized that a sporting nation cannot be built by “deciding in a boardroom who’s allowed to compete,” urging authorities to allow athletes the opportunity to let their hard work count on the court.
The Ministry’s Stance: Medal Potential Over Exposure
The Sports Ministry has remained firm, maintaining that the Asian Games should not be treated as an “exposure trip.” Under the policy introduced in 2025, selection is strictly limited to athletes who hold a realistic chance of winning a medal—specifically, those ranked in the top six for individual events in Asia and the top eight for team events.
A source from the Ministry defended the criteria, noting that the government must be selective with its resources. “If somebody has to run 10 seconds to be a contender for a medal in the 100m event, should we send an athlete who runs 15 seconds?” the source asked. “We have set the criteria that if an athlete is in the top six in Asia, we will select him or her, otherwise not.”
Future Implications
AITA officials expressed deep disappointment, noting that the omissions deny young players vital experience for the 2030, 2032, and 2036 cycles. “We are preparing them for 2030, 2032 and 2036. These are the players who will represent India at that time. They will be in their peak,” an AITA source stated.
While the current squad list is finalized, there remains a glimmer of hope through a specific clause that allows for exceptions based on expert recommendations and “justifiable reasons.” This provision was previously utilized to include teams in the 2023 Asian Games, leaving some to wonder if the Ministry might reconsider its stance regarding these selected keyword omissions before the final rosters are cemented.
For now, India’s hopes in Japan will rest on a smaller, high-stakes contingent, including Sumit Nagal in men’s singles and the doubles pairings of Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale, along with the men’s doubles teams of Bhambri/Suresh and Chandrasekar/Balaji.
