Focus on getting Indian players to Grand Slam level, says Vishal Uppal

NEW DELHI: India’s strength in doubles, and its parallel struggle in singles has again come into focus ahead of next week’s Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie in the Capital. None of the host squad members – Ankita Raina, Vaishnavi Adkar, Rutuja Bhosale, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Sahaja Yamalapalli – are currently ranked inside the top 300 in singles. Sahaja, the highest-ranked among them, sits at No. 385, underlining the stiff climb required to compete at the highest level of the women’s game.

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Tennis star Sania Mirza remains the only Indian woman to have broken into the top 100 of the WTA singles rankings. Her career-high of World No. 27, achieved in 2007, is still considered the benchmark for others to follow. India’s global and Grand Slam successes have largely come in doubles and players see it as a more achievable path to improve rankings and prolong careers.




India’s BJK Cup captain and former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal believes there are structural gaps in the sport, where the system has traditionally leaned towards doubles. “Before we talk about producing champions, we have to first focus on getting more players towards the Grand Slam level. Obviously, it takes a combination of everything. Their training has to be good, their athletic development has to be good and the opportunities that they get in tournaments have to be excellent for them,” Uppal told TOI in an interview.

Uppal said the focus should be on investing in younger talent and support them through funding and international exposure. “In my opinion, the mistake we have made is we have always looked at one player or two players and really neglected the vast majority of players. I think that ecosystem needs to change and evolve where we’re able to support and promote hundred players and let the cream rise to the top. There’s no point in focusing on only one player or two players because tennis is a very ruthless sport.”

“Also,we have to make sure that the athletic development really takes shape because this is a very athletic sport and if you can’t run, you can’t really play. We need to definitely work on the athletic ability of our players.”

On the tournament beginning at the DLTA stadium on April 7, Uppal said the sole focus is to qualify for the World Group play-offs again. Apart from hosts India, teams from Indonesia, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Thailand will play each other once in a round robin format.

“I think our practice sessions have started off well and, you know, everyone seems to be in good form and in a good state of mind. And I think we will keep working on that and make sure come the seventh the team is physically and mentally ready to battle it out for the next five days and hopefully make India qualify for the World Group Play-offs again,” he added.
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