Tennis

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.

Andy Murray, the former world number one, will make a significant return to Roland Garros this year, competing in both singles and doubles for the first time since his main-draw debut in 2006. The tournament organizers announced on Wednesday that Murray and his compatriot Dan Evans had been awarded wild cards for the doubles event.Evans and Murray are the only non-French players among the 14 doubles teams to receive wild cards, with seven teams selected on each side. According to James Gay of The i, the British duo is the first entirely non-French men's doubles team to receive a Roland Garros main-draw wild card since Nicolas Kiefer and Marat Safin in 2001.The wild card request from Evans and Murray stems from their aspirations to compete at the Summer Olympics, which will be held at Roland Garros in August. Their combined ranking of 144 was insufficient to qualify them directly for the Olympics.Murray, who has won three Grand Slam singles titles, is seeking his fifth Olympic berth for Great Britain. He has previously stated that he would only participate in the Olympics if he believed he had a chance of winning a medal.Murray's return to Roland Garros comes after an ankle injury forced him to withdraw from the Miami Open in March. He made his comeback this week in Geneva, but lost in the first round to German Yannick Hanfmann.Murray, who reached the Roland Garros final in 2016, is contesting the clay-court major for only the second time since 2017. This could potentially be his final appearance in Paris, as he has hinted at retirement after this summer.

Alison Riske-Amritraj, a former Top 20 WTA player, is expecting a baby girl with her husband, former ATP pro Stephen Amritraj. The couple announced the exciting news in a creative video posted on Instagram, which also introduced their new dog, Teddy.Riske-Amritraj, 33, is due to give birth in July, just before the Paris Olympics. She represented the United States at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and is the third Tokyo Olympian to announce her pregnancy in recent months, following Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova.The former world No. 18 married Amritraj, the nephew of former world No. 18 Vijay Amritraj, in 2019. Her announcement was met with congratulations from her WTA peers, including Jennifer Brady, Danielle Collins, Lauren Davis, and Johanna Konta.Riske-Amritraj's last match was a first-round loss to Paula Badosa at Wimbledon last summer. She has won three WTA titles and reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2019, where she upset world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.Riske-Amritraj's pregnancy announcement is a reminder that even after retiring from professional tennis, athletes can continue to lead fulfilling lives and pursue their passions. It also highlights the growing trend of female athletes starting families later in their careers, thanks to advances in reproductive technology and a more supportive environment for working mothers.