Tennis

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday to elect new office bearers. However, the results remain unofficial due to an ongoing Delhi High Court petition alleging Sports Code violations by the federation.The AITA received only one nomination for each position, eliminating the need for voting. The new President, Secretary General, and Treasurer were elected unopposed, along with eight Vice Presidents, four Joint Secretaries, and 10 Executive Members.Initially, Rohit Rajpal and another candidate had filed nominations for the President's post. However, Rajpal, India's non-playing Davis Cup captain, later withdrew his candidature.Former India players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja had filed a petition seeking a stay on the elections, arguing that the AITA was not adhering to the Sports Code and that several candidates were ineligible to contest.The Court declined to stay the elections but directed the AITA and the Sports Ministry to submit their responses. The Court also ordered that the election results be sealed and not published until the outcome of the petition.The matter is scheduled for further hearing on October 14. Until then, the outgoing and incoming teams will jointly manage the federation's operations.

In an unprecedented move, eight state tennis associations affiliated with the All India Tennis Association (AITA) have proposed a no-confidence motion against President Anil Jain. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) has been called for September 28 in New Delhi to address the motion.The move comes amidst allegations that Jain has misused AITA funds by traveling with his family abroad on multiple occasions. The state units that have proposed the motion include Assam, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Tripura.If the no-confidence motion is passed, Jain will be removed as AITA President. This would mark the first time in Indian tennis history that the head of the federation has been removed in this manner.Jain, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, has denied the allegations and claims that the state units are targeting him because he advised them to follow the Sports Code during the upcoming elections. He has also stated that the EGM is illegal and that he will take legal action.However, officials from the state associations have stated that there are additional allegations against Jain and that the issue goes beyond the Sports Code. They have accused him of using his position for personal gains, including becoming a permanent trustee of the AITA Trust in his individual capacity.The state associations have expressed their determination to clean up the system and support the players. They believe that the upcoming elections will bring about a positive change in Indian tennis.

The Delhi High Court has intervened in the upcoming All India Tennis Association (AITA) elections, scheduled for September 28th, following a petition filed by former Indian tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja. The petitioners allege that the AITA is violating the Sports Code in its conduct of the election.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notices to the AITA and the Central Government, seeking their responses to the petition. The court has directed that the election results will not be published until the outcome of the plea.The petitioners' counsel argued that the AITA is holding the election in a secretive manner, with no information available on its website. They contend that this violates the Sports Code and previous court rulings.The court declined to stay the election at this stage but emphasized that if the election is found to be in violation of the Code, the elected office bearers will not be allowed to function. An independent entity may be appointed in their place."If the election process is conducted in defiance of the subsisting directions, the office bearers will be restrained from functioning. Then we will consider appointing someone as the ad hoc (body)...That election will be set aside," the court stated.The court has directed the petitioners to include the Returning Officer of the election as a party to the proceedings and has asked the respondents to file their replies. The matter will be heard again on October 14th.The AITA's alleged violation of the Sports Code has raised concerns about the transparency and fairness of the election process. The court's intervention is a significant step towards ensuring that the election is conducted in accordance with the law.

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has accused Sumit Nagal of demanding an annual fee of $50,000 to play Davis Cup ties for India. However, Nagal has defended his actions, stating that it is "standard practice" for athletes to be compensated for their services.Nagal had opted out of the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden, citing a back strain that also forced him out of the US Open men's doubles competition last month. It was India's best chance to beat Sweden in their own backyard, but competing without a singles specialist, the team received a 0-4 hammering.AITA expressed its displeasure, saying that the country's top players, including Nagal, Yuki Bhambri, and Sasikumar Mukund, refused national duty. Nagal had entered the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open and was scheduled to play on Thursday but withdrew citing the same back issue.AITA head Anil Dhupar said, "You tell me why should a player be asking for money to play for the country. This is a big question. He had demanded an annual fee of $50,000 (approx 45 lakh) and said if he is not paid, he will not play."Dhupar insisted that players are paid by TOPS and receive prize money from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for Davis Cup participation. However, Nagal claimed that it is standard practice for athletes to be compensated for their participation in events, even when representing their country."This is not about personal gain. My discussions with AITA and the Davis Cup Captain are confidential and I would not like to indulge in any speculation about this," he wrote in a statement.AITA was furious that Nagal chose to skip Davis Cup last week by citing injury but "recovered miraculously" to compete in Hangzhou Open. Nagal withdrew from the ATP 250 tournament, two days after AITA came out with its statement.Nagal said representing the country was always "a privilege and an honour that I hold in the highest regard." He defended his decision to pull out of the Davis Cup, saying that competing while carrying an injury could jeopardize his health and the team's chances.It has been learnt that captain Rohit Rajpal had taken Nagal's proposal to the AITA Executive Committee, which initially agreed to pay him but asked the captain to renegotiate the figure. However, before an agreement could be reached, Nagal withdrew from the tie and the discussion on the matter ended without progress.Nagal criticized AITA on social media platforms, saying many of them were there just to enjoy junkets. He further justified his break, saying that injury management is a complex science and sometimes just a few days of rest can make the difference between aggravating an injury and being fit to play again.Nagal said he was committed to the country and looked forward to future opportunities to wear the national colors. He had skipped the tie against Pakistan too earlier this year, conveying to the team management that the contest was being played on grass court and his game was more suited to the hard surfaces.

Rohan Bopanna, India's veteran doubles specialist, has chosen N Sriram Balaji as his partner for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The decision was conveyed to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) in a letter, and is unlikely to face any objections.Balaji, who impressed with his performance at the French Open, has been a consistent performer on the ATP Challenger Tour. His strong serve and impressive net play caught Bopanna's attention, who believes he is the ideal partner for his final shot at an Olympic medal.Bopanna, who is only the third Indian to win a Grand Slam title, came close to winning a medal at the Rio Games in 2016. However, he and Sania Mirza lost the mixed doubles bronze match to the Czech combination of Radek Stepanek and Lucie Hradecka.The 44-year-old Bopanna is determined to make the most of his last opportunity to win an Olympic medal. He believes that Balaji's skills and experience will complement his own, giving them a strong chance of success in Paris.AITA Secretary General Anil Dhupar has expressed support for Bopanna's choice, stating that Balaji is a talented player who has proven himself on the international stage. The selection panel, headed by former Davis Cupper Nandan Bal, is also expected to endorse the decision.Yuki Bhambri, India's number two doubles player, was also in contention for the spot. However, Balaji's impressive performance at the French Open and his strong partnership with Bopanna in the past seem to have swayed the decision in his favor.The ATP/WTA rankings on June 10 will be considered for entries, and the ITF has to notify all Associations about their qualified athletes by June 12. All NOCs will have to confirm their entries to the ITF by June 19. The ITF will reallocate the unused quota places on July 8.