Legendary Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna has criticised the decision to trim India’s tennis contingent for the 2026 Asian Games, arguing that athletes who have earned their rankings through performances on the court deserve a fair opportunity to compete.

The Sports Ministry removed five players from the list of 12 proposed by the All India Tennis Association (AITA), reducing India’s final tennis squad to seven. The decision has particularly narrowed the country’s options in women’s singles, with Sahaja Yamalapalli, currently India’s highest-ranked women’s singles player, among those excluded.

In a post on LinkedIn, Bopanna voiced his support for the five players and questioned the practice of assessing medal prospects solely on paper. “I’m a proud Indian. And today, I want to speak up for these tennis players who deserve better. They didn’t ask for mercy. They asked for a chance,” Bopanna said.

‘They Proved Themselves on Court’

The five players dropped from the proposed squad are Manas Dhamne, Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Vaidehee Chaudhari and Prarthana Thombare.

Bopanna stressed that the players had earned their rankings through international competition and consistent performances, rather than through preferential treatment.

“Dhamne. Adkar. Yamalapalli. Vaidehee. Thombare. Five players, including India’s No. 1 and No. 2 in women’s singles, who earned their rankings the hard way. No shortcuts. No favours. They competed internationally, qualified and proved where they stand,” he said.

The final seven-member tennis squad includes Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh in men’s singles. Yuki Bhambri, N Sriram Balaji and Anirudh Chandrasekhar will compete in men’s doubles, while Ankita Raina and Ruturaj Bhosale have secured places in the women’s contingent.

‘Why Have Rankings?’

Questioning the logic behind excluding players who have established themselves through competition, Bopanna asked whether rankings and qualification processes had any meaning if selection was ultimately determined by other considerations.

“If outcomes are already decided, why have qualifications at all? Why rankings?” he said.

He also highlighted the role played by parents and sponsors in supporting athletes during their careers, arguing that their faith in sporting merit should not be disregarded.

“This isn’t just a call about five athletes. It’s a message to every parent, every sponsor who backed them before the country did, who bet on merit and results, not on being pre-approved,” Bopanna said.

He added that describing the excluded players as “not medal prospects” could send a discouraging message to those who had supported them.

‘Let Sport Decide’

Bopanna maintained that medal potential should not be judged exclusively through rankings, projections or calculations made away from the court. “Let them walk onto the court. Let their years of work count for something. Let sport decide. Not a spreadsheet,” he said.

His comments have brought renewed attention to the selection of India’s tennis contingent for the Asian Games and the broader question of how athletes should be assessed when representing the country at major international competitions.