Overview
- Origin
- 19th century England
- Category
- Racquet
- Olympic discipline
- Yes
- Paralympic discipline
- No
- Central pathway
- Olympic (TOPS eligible)
- Athlete profiles on SportSupport
- 126
Governance and status
Each field below is shown only where we hold a source for it; anything else reads “Not currently verified” rather than a guess. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition is granted year by year, so it is only ever shown with the year it applies to. Last reviewed: September 2026.
- Indian governing/organising body
- AITA
- Ministry recognition
- All India Tennis Association — Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — as at 2026Source: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — List of recognised National Sports Federations
- International federation
- Not currently verified
- Khelo India inclusion
- On the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Tennis"Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition) (2026-08-29)
- TOPS eligibility
- In scope — TOPS covers Olympic medal prospects
- Olympic status
- On the Olympic programme
- Paralympic status
- Not a Paralympic discipline
Tennis is listed on SportSupport in the racquet category. Its recorded origin is 19th century England. It is on the Olympic programme. We list AITA as the Indian governing/organising body for the sport.
Doubles powerhouse with multiple Grand Slam titles.
Tennis is on the pathway that runs through India's national sports federations to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), with selection running through AITA against its published benchmarks. Being on this pathway is not itself a statement that the discipline is currently in TOPS — TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group chosen by the Mission Olympic Cell. Tennis appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Tennis", so junior talent identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). (Source: Sports Authority of India / Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Discipline wise Participation in all editions of Khelo India Games (19th Edition).)
Indian Achievements
Hand-reviewed Olympic, Paralympic, World, Asian and Commonwealth milestones for India in tennis, compiled from the sources listed on this page. Last reviewed: September 2026.
- Leander Paes — Olympic Bronze in men's singles at Atlanta 1996; 18 Grand Slam doubles/mixed doubles titles.
- Mahesh Bhupathi — First Indian to win a Grand Slam (1997 French Open mixed doubles); 12 Grand Slam titles.
- Sania Mirza — 6 Grand Slam doubles/mixed doubles titles; former World No. 1 in women's doubles.
- Rohan Bopanna — Australian Open 2024 men's doubles champion; oldest World No. 1 in doubles history.
- India has 3 Davis Cup finals appearances (1966, 1974, 1987).
Famous Indian Players
Landmark tennis names from India, past and present.
- Leander Paes18 Grand Slam titles; Olympic bronze 1996.
- Mahesh BhupathiFirst Indian Grand Slam champion (1997).
- Sania MirzaFormer World No. 1 in doubles; 6 Grand Slam titles.
- Rohan Bopanna2024 Australian Open doubles champion; ATP doubles World No. 1.
- Ramanathan KrishnanWimbledon semi-finalist 1960, 1961; Padma Bhushan.
- Vijay AmritrajTwo-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist; Davis Cup finalist 1974, 1987.
Notable Coaches
Head coaches and mentors behind India's leading tennis results.
- Zeeshan AliIndia Davis Cup coach; long-time national junior coach.
- Rohit RajpalIndia Davis Cup team captain.
- Aditya SachdevaAITA coaching-education head.
- Vishal UppalFormer Davis Cup player and India women's team captain.
Scholarships & Funding
Central, state and private scholarships available for tennis athletes in India.
- AITA Player Welfare Scheme
AITA financial support for top-ranked Indian juniors and seniors.
- Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academy (MBTA)
Scholarship programme at Bengaluru for elite juniors.
- Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID)
Monthly stipend (₹10,000 for selected Khelo India athletes), boarding, coaching and kit at accredited centres for talent identified through the Khelo India selection process (Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports). Applies only to disciplines on the official Khelo India Games list, and only to athletes it selects.
- Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
Central government scheme covering training, foreign exposure, equipment and an out-of-pocket allowance (up to ₹50,000/month) for athletes inducted by the Mission Olympic Cell. TOPS covers a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines rather than every Olympic sport, and induction is decided athlete by athlete; we hold no current list confirming whether tennis is among the covered disciplines.
- National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports fund used to sponsor elite athletes' training, foreign coaches and equipment. Allocations are made case by case; we hold no record of NSDF support specific to tennis.
Indian Players
126 profiles- Leander PaesWest Bengal
18-time Grand Slam doubles/mixed doubles champion; record 7 Olympic appearances.
- Mahesh BhupathiKarnataka
First Indian to win a Grand Slam (1997 French Open mixed doubles).
- Rohan BopannaKarnataka
Australian Open 2024 champion; oldest male No. 1 in ATP doubles history.
- Sania MirzaTelangana
Six-time Grand Slam champion and former doubles world No. 1.
- Sumit NagalHaryana
First Indian man in seven years to win a Grand Slam main-draw match, courtesy of his 2020 US Open first-round victory (the first since Somdev Devvarman in 2013). At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics he won his opening match before exiting in the second round; at Paris 2024 he lost in the opening round (round of 64) to France's Corentin Moutet.
- Akhtar AliIndia
Akhtar Ali (Urdu: اختر علی) (5 July 1939 – 7 February 2021), was an Indian tennis player. He was a member of the Indian Davis Cup team continuously from 1958 to 1964 and captain of Indian Davis Cup in 2008.
- Anand AmritrajTamil Nadu
Anand Amritraj (born 20 March 1951) is an Indian former tennis player and businessman. He, along with brother Vijay Amritraj, led India into the 1974 Davis Cup finals against South Africa, and was a part of the Indian team captained by Vijay Amritraj which reached the final of the Davis Cup in 1987 against Sweden.
- Anirudh ChandrasekarIndia
Anirudh Chandrasekar (born 11 July 1998) is an Indian tennis player who specializes in doubles. He has a career high ATP doubles ranking of No. 84 achieved on 24 August 2026 and a singles ranking of No.
- Ankita BhambriIndia
Ankita Bhambri (Hindi: अंकिता भाम्बरी; born 28 October 1986) is an Indian former professional tennis player and coach. Her career-high singles ranking is world No. 332, which she achieved in May 2006.
- Ankita RainaGujarat
Ankita Raina (born 11 January 1993) is an Indian tennis player. Since 2018, she has regularly been India's number one female player in singles and doubles. Raina has won one title on the WTA Tour and one WTA 125 title (both in doubles), along with 11 singles and 33 doubles titles on the ITF Circuit.
- Anu PeshawariaPunjab
Anu Peshawaria (born 5 September 1961) is an Indian-American US Immigration lawyer, author, activist, and philanthropist having founded several non profits and a former Wimbledon tennis player from the United States. Her legal work focuses on immigrant rights, domestic violence, women's rights, and children's rights, and she has practiced immigration law before the Supreme Court of the United States, Supreme Court of Washington, and Supreme Court of India. She was the first legal advisor appointed by the Govt of India to the US Embassy in Washington DC.
- Archana VenkataramanIndia
Archana Venkataraman (born 30 August 1988) is an Indian former professional tennis player. Venkataraman has career-high WTA rankings of 549 in singles, achieved on 18 December 2000, and 510 in doubles, set on 13 November 2006. In her career, she won three singles and six doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.
- Arjun KadheMaharashtra
Arjun Kadhe (Marathi: अर्जुन कढे; born 7 January 1994) is an Indian tennis player who specializes in doubles. He has a career high ATP doubles ranking of world No. 76 achieved on 28 October 2024.
- Ashok AmritrajTamil Nadu
Ashok Amritraj (born 22 February 1956) is an Indian-American athlete and film producer. He is chairman and CEO of the Hyde Park Entertainment Group and was formerly CEO of National Geographic Films. He played tennis professionally in his youth, one of the Indians in the top levels of the sport.
- Ashutosh SinghIndia
Ashutosh Singh (born 25 September 1982) is a former professional tennis player from India.
- Ashvarya ShrivastavaMaharashtra
Ashvarya Shrivastava (Aiśvaryā Śrīvāstav; born 19 February 1992) is a former professional tennis player from India. She formerly played for the India Fed Cup team. Her career-high singles ranking is No.
- Asif IsmailIndia
Asif Ismail (born 30 September 1970) is a former tennis player who has the rare distinction of representing two countries in the Davis Cup, first India and later Hong Kong.
- Chandril SoodPunjab
Chandril Sood (born 20 February 1991) is an Indian tennis player. Sood has a career high ATP singles ranking of No. 908 achieved on 21 December 2015 and a career high ATP doubles ranking of No.
- Cotah RamaswamiTamil Nadu
Cotah Ramaswami – sometimes written as Cota or Cotar – (born 16 June 1896, presumed to have died in January 1990) was a double sports international who represented India in cricket and tennis.
- Dhakshineswar SureshIndia
Dhakshineswar Suresh Ekambaram (born 29 March 2000) is an Indian tennis player. He has a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 353 achieved on 27 July 2026 and a doubles ranking of No.
- Dilip BoseJharkhand
Dilip Kumar Bose (28 May 1921 – 30 December 1996) was an Indian professional tennis player. He was a winner of the Asian Championships and a member of the India Davis Cup team. After retirement, he served as a coach and administrator.
- Divij SharanIndia
Divij Sharan (born 2 March 1986) is an Indian professional tennis player. He specialises in doubles and competes on the ATP World Tour. He has won five ATP doubles titles and represents India in the Davis Cup.
- Donald RutnamIndia
Donald Ross Rutnam (19 September 1902 – 10 June 1968) was an Indian civil servant and sportsman of Anglo-Ceylonese origin. He was a member of the Ceylon Civil Service and served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Central Provinces and Berar. He represented India in Tennis at the 1924 Summer Olympics and at the Wimbledon Championships.
- Edward Vivian BobbUttar Pradesh
Edward Vivian Bobb (27 July 1902 – 1974) also known as E.V. Bobb was an Indian tennis player who competed at the 1928 Wimbledon Championships. He was active from 1921 to 1940 and won 21 career singles titles.
- Gaurav NatekarMaharashtra
Gaurav Natekar (born 4 April 1972) is a seven-time Indian National Tennis Champion. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1996 for Tennis. His wife, Arati Ponnappa, was also a national level tennis player.
- Ghaus MohammadKarnataka
Ghaus Mohammad Khan (2 November 1915 – 1982) was an Indian tennis player from Malihabad. He was the first Indian to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, achieved in 1939 where he lost to second-seeded and eventual champion Bobby Riggs. With compatriot Iftikar Ahmed he reached the third round in the doubles event in 1947.
- Harsh MankadMaharashtra
Harsh Mankad (born 10 November 1979) is a former world ranked ATP Professional tennis player from India. He played Davis Cup for India between 2001–2010 and was the No. 1 singles player on the team for several of those years.
- Hassan-Ali FyzeeMaharashtra
Hassan-Ali Fyzee (9 October 1879 – 1 January 1962) was an Indian tennis, badminton, and table tennis player.
- Isha LakhaniMaharashtra
Isha Lakhani (born 29 April 1985) is an Indian former professional tennis player.
- Jafreen ShaikTelangana
Shaik Jafreen (born 7 September 1997) is a deaf Indian tennis player. She represented India at the Deaflympics in 2013 and 2017. She claimed a bronze medal in the mixed doubles at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics partnering with Prithvi Sekhar.
- Jaidip MukerjeaWest Bengal
Jaidip Mukerjea (Bengali: জয়দীপ মুখোপাধ্যায়; born 21 April 1942) is a retired professional tennis player from India.
- Jasjit SinghIndia
Jasjit Singh (born 4 February 1948) is a former professional tennis player from India.
- Jay RoyappaIndia
Jayakumar Royappa was an Indian professional tennis player. P. Royappa.
- Jeevan NedunchezhiyanTamil Nadu
Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (born 20 October 1988) is an Indian professional tennis player. He has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of No. 64 achieved on 18 March 2019.
- Jenny SandisonWest Bengal
Jenny Sandison (born 1910) was an Anglo-Indian tennis player. She was born at Kharagpur, Bengal (now West Bengal, India).
- Karan RastogiMaharashtra
Karan Rastogi (born 8 October 1986) is an Indian tennis player, who also represented Hong Kong in international competitions. He started playing tennis at the age of 3. 1 in all age groups in India from the under 12s to the under 18s.
- Karan SinghHaryana
Karan Singh (born 30 June 2003) is an Indian tennis player. Singh has a career high ATP singles ranking of world No. 388 achieved on 8 August 2025.
- Karman ThandiIndia
Karman Kaur Thandi (born 16 June 1998) is an Indian professional tennis player. She is a former Indian number one in singles. Thandi's career-high WTA rankings was No.
- Khanum HajiTelangana
Khanum Singh (née Haji) (Urdu: خانم حاجی) was an Indian tennis player from Hyderabad. She was the women's four-time champion at the National Lawn Tennis Championships of India from 1947 to 1949, and 1957.
- Khawaja IftikharPunjab
Khawaja Iftikhar Ahmed was a Pakistani tennis player who played for British India before independence and for Pakistan after independence. He was one of the highest ranked players in India from 1940 to 1946, and later retained the position in Pakistan from 1947 to 1956 after the split of Indian subcontinent. He retired from the professional sports in 1962.
- Kiran BediPunjab
Kiran Bedi (born 9 June 1949) is a former tennis player who became the first Indian woman to join the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972 and was the 24th lieutenant governor of Puducherry from 28 May 2016 to 16 February 2021. She remained in service for 35 years before taking voluntary retirement in 2007 as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development. As a teenager, Bedi was crowned the national junior tennis champion in 1966.
- Kyra ShroffMaharashtra
Kyra Shroff (born 17 October 1992) is an Indian former professional tennis player. She has career-high WTA rankings of 470 in singles, achieved on 4 March 2013, and 358 in doubles, reached on 30 January 2017. Shroff won ten ITF doubles titles.
- Lakshit SoodPunjab
Lakshit Sood (born 20 February 1991) is an Indian professional tennis player and a padel athlete. He has represented India in international competitions. Lakshit with his twin brother, Chandril Sood, have played as a doubles pairs in ITF and ATP tournaments.
- Leela RowMaharashtra
Leela Row Dayal (19 December 1911 – 19 May 1964) was a female tennis player and author from India. She was the first female Indian tennis player to win a match at the Wimbledon Championships. She wrote several books on Indian classical dance in both English and Sanskrit.
- Maaya Rajeshwaran RevathiTamil Nadu
Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi (born 12 June 2009) is an Indian tennis player. She trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy.
- Mahak JainMadhya Pradesh
Mahak Jain (born 24 June 2001) is an Indian former professional tennis player. She plays college tennis for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Mahak has a career-high singles ranking by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) of 511, achieved on 18 February 2019.
- Malikaa MaratheMaharashtra
Malikaa Marathe (born 30 April 2003) is an Indian tennis player.
- Man-Mohan BhandariPunjab
Man-Mohan Bhandari (born 26 February 1913, date of death unknown) was an Indian tennis player. He competed at the Wimbledon Championships twice, in 1934 and 1936. He was active from 1930 to 1942 contesting 3 career singles finals and won 1 title.
Rules
Played as singles or doubles, players hit a ball over a net using rackets, aiming to land it in the opponent's court unreturned. Scoring runs 15-30-40-game per game, with sets typically first to 6 games (win by 2), and matches best-of-3 or best-of-5 sets.
Authoritative rulebook: AITA. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.
Positions
Typical roles across racquet sports. These are category-level descriptions, not a sourced tennis squad list.
- SinglesOne-on-one match — the standard individual format for ranking events.
- DoublesTwo-a-side format with different court coverage and serve/return patterns.
- Mixed doublesOne male and one female partner — a distinct discipline at multi-sport meets.
Equipment
Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in tennis at a federation-recognised event.
- Tennis racket
- Tennis balls (pressurised felt-covered)
- Net (0.914m at centre)
- Court shoes suited to surface (clay/hard/grass)
Governing/organising body
All India Tennis Association is the body we list as the Indian governing/organising body for Tennis. Its recognition status as we hold it: Annual recognition renewed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (as at 2026). Recognition is granted year by year, so read the federation profile for the source.
- Origin
- 19th century England
- Olympic
- Yes
- Paralympic
- No
- Category
- Racquet
Major Indian Events
Domestic competitions we hold a source for in tennis.
- AITA National Tennis Championship
AITA's senior singles and doubles national championship.
- Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship
Long-running AITA-sanctioned senior national.
- AITA Age-group Nationals (U-12 to U-18)
AITA junior nationals feeding the ITF Junior circuit.
- Chennai Open / Maharashtra Open (ATP 250)
ATP Tour event held in India (Pune).
- Bengaluru Open (ATP Challenger)
Long-running ATP Challenger on Indian soil.
International Events
Continental and world-level competitions we hold a source for in tennis.
- Grand Slam events
Australian Open (Jan), French Open (May-Jun), Wimbledon (Jun-Jul), US Open (Aug-Sep).
- ATP Tour / WTA Tour
1000/500/250 tournaments across the season, plus year-end Finals.
- Davis Cup / Billie Jean King Cup
Men's and women's team world championships.
- Olympic Games (Tennis)
Singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
- United Cup / Hopman Cup
Mixed-team season openers.
Leagues
Franchise and professional leagues catalogued for tennis. Full season data, champions and schedule filters are available in the sidebar.
- International · Since 1996Maharashtra Open
India's only ATP Tour event, held annually in Pune.
- Domestic · Since 1946National Tennis Championships
All India Tennis Association's premier national singles and doubles championship.
- International · Since 1877Wimbledon
The oldest tennis tournament in the world and the only grass-court Grand Slam.
- International · Since 1881US Open
Hard-court Grand Slam held annually in New York.
- International · Since 1891French Open (Roland-Garros)
The premier clay-court Grand Slam, held annually in Paris.
- International · Since 1905Australian Open
First Grand Slam of the season, held in Melbourne.
- International · Since 1900Davis Cup
World Cup of men's tennis, contested by national teams.
International Players
Globally recognised tennis athletes to know outside India.
- Novak Djokovic (Serbia)24-time Grand Slam singles champion — record for men.
- Serena Williams (USA)23-time Grand Slam singles champion.
- Rafael Nadal (Spain)22-time Grand Slam singles champion; 14 French Opens.
- Iga Świątek (Poland)Multiple-time French Open champion and World No. 1.
- Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)Multiple Grand Slam champion; youngest ATP World No. 1.
Career Options
Ways to build a career in tennis — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.
- Full-time ATP / WTA tour player with AITA backing
- AITA / ITF-certified coach; academy owner
- ITF-certified umpire and line judge
- String / racquet technician and tour physio
- Sports quota government jobs (Railways, PSPB, Air India)
- Broadcast, commentary and content careers
Related academies
7 listed- Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, PatialaElitePatiala, Punjab · Since 1961
Asia's largest sports institute and SAI's flagship coach-education and training campus.
- Delhi Sports SchoolStateNew Delhi, Delhi
Delhi's fully residential government sports school on Shamnath Marg, run under Delhi Sports University for grades VI to XII across ten Olympic sports.
- VRK Tennis Academy, New DelhiStateNew Delhi, Delhi
Khelo India accredited academy in New Delhi, Delhi. Accredited disciplines as published: Tennis.
- SRAG Tennis Academy, GujaratStateGujarat, Gujarat
Khelo India accredited academy in Gujarat, Gujarat. Accredited disciplines as published: Tennis.
- Centre for Sports Science, ChennaiStateChennai, Tamil Nadu
Khelo India accredited academy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Accredited disciplines as published: Football, Hockey, Rowing, Shooting, Tennis, Weightlifting.
- Ash Tennis Academy, TelanganaStateTelangana, Telangana
Khelo India accredited academy in Telangana, Telangana. Accredited disciplines as published: Tennis.
- Bengal Tennis Association, KolkataStateKolkata, West Bengal
Khelo India accredited academy in Kolkata, West Bengal. Accredited disciplines as published: Tennis.
Government Schemes
8 listedCentral and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for tennis athletes and academies.
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, through the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and its Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)Target Asian Games Group (TAGG): Individual Support for Asian Games 2026 Medal Prospects (SAI)
SAI's TAGG division was disbanded in May 2026; the programme was built for the 2026 Asian Games. The Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) was a Sports Authority of India high-performance programme, modelled on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), that gave individualised support to medal prospects for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. It was launched in 2025 with 37 athletes in 16 disciplines, 10 Olympic and 6 non-Olympic, and the Mission Olympic Cell added athletes later, for example in tennis, taekwondo, karate, gymnastics and soft tennis. TAGG did not replace TOPS; it focused on sports where India has regional potential but has yet to convert it into Olympic success. On 19 May 2026 SAI's Director General re-arranged its divisions and disbanded the TAGG division; its work was redistributed between the TOPS division, which now manages 27 disciplines and the participation coordination for the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games, and the Training of Elite Athletes and Management Support (TEAMS) division, which handles para, winter and non-Olympic disciplines. The Asian Games 2026 were held in September and October 2026. Check with SAI whether TAGG-style support continues.
- Government of Maharashtra (Sports and Youth Services)Maharashtra 5% Reservation for Meritorious Sportspersons (revised policy, 2026)
On 8 September 2026 the Maharashtra Cabinet approved a revised policy for the 5 per cent parallel reservation for meritorious sportspersons in direct recruitment in state government and semi-government bodies. Sports included in at least three consecutive Summer Olympic Games after 2005 qualify, and Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, Chess, Mallakhamb and Cricket have been added as regional sports. Under the revised policy, sports certificates must be verified through a digital Sports E-Certificate system within three months, and earlier government resolutions on the quota were rescinded.
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural GasONGC Sports Scholarship Scheme
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), a Government of India enterprise, gives monthly scholarships to economically weaker young sportspersons who have the potential to excel in sport, in games including badminton, boxing, wrestling, kabaddi, chess, athletics and para sports. This is a public-sector company scheme, not a government department scheme. A scholarship is awarded for one year and can be extended up to two years based on annual performance. The number of scholarships is fixed game by game; for the 2025-26 round, for example, badminton had 6 (3 for men and 3 for women) and kabaddi had 20.
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and SportsKhelo India Youth Games (KIYG)
A flagship annual multi-disciplinary grassroots event held to identify and nurture young sporting talent at the school and college level across India.
- Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and PensionsRecruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons to Group C Posts in the Central Government (DoPT Sports Quota)
Under instructions of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), central government ministries and departments can directly recruit meritorious sportspersons to Group C posts (including erstwhile Group D) that are filled by direct recruitment, in relaxation of the normal recruitment procedure. The list of qualifying sports has 65 disciplines (63 listed in 2020, with Tennis Ball Cricket added in January 2021 and Yogasana in June 2022). Kudo, Karate, Taekwondo, Golf, Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Badminton, Cricket and Tennis are among them. Railways and a few scientific and atomic-energy services follow separate rules.
- All India Tennis Association (AITA), the national tennis federationAITA ACE 2032: Talent Identification, Selection and Support Policy for Junior Tennis
This is a federation policy, not a government scheme. Policy of the All India Tennis Association, approved by its Executive Committee and AGM on 30 September 2026 and effective from 1 January 2027, to identify talented junior players and recommend them for financial, technical, training, competition and welfare support from AITA, government agencies, public-sector organisations, sponsors and other approved partners. Selection is not based on ranking alone: it also considers performance, potential, physical and mental readiness, doubles ability and, where merit is comparable, financial need. Selected players are placed in five groups: National Performance, National Development, Regional Development, Emerging Talent and Doubles Development.
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural GasONGC Sports Scholarship Scheme 2026-27, Podium Aspirants Category
ONGC, a public-sector company, invited online applications for its Sports Scholarship Scheme 2026-27 in the Podium Aspirants category, with a monthly scholarship of ₹40,000 to ₹70,000. The notice was published by the All India Tennis Association on 8 September 2026. The AITA notice does not list the sports covered; confirm the eligible sports with ONGC. This is a public-sector company scheme, not a government department scheme. It is separate from the ONGC scholarship round for younger players covered in the ONGC Sports Scholarship Scheme entry.
- Sports Authority of India (SAI)Come and Play Scheme
Allows the general public and budding athletes to use SAI's world-class stadium facilities in Delhi and other regional centers for a nominal fee.
FAQs
Common questions about tennis in India.
Who governs Tennis in India?▾
We list AITA as the Indian governing/organising body for Tennis, and state associations affiliated to it run age-group and state-level competition. We hold no current-year Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recognition record for it, so this is not a statement that it is currently a recognised national sports federation — recognition is granted year by year.
Is Tennis an Olympic sport?▾
Yes, Tennis is on the Olympic programme. Athletes selected by AITA against its published criteria can be considered for TOPS funding.
How do I start playing Tennis in India?▾
The usual routes are a school team under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), a college team under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or a private academy affiliated to your state association under AITA. Age-group state championships follow from there.
What government schemes support Tennis athletes?▾
TOPS supports a Core Group and a Development Group of disciplines selected by the Mission Olympic Cell, rather than every Olympic sport. We hold no current list confirming whether Tennis is among them, so we make no TOPS claim for it. State governments give cash awards to medallists at events they notify. Tennis appears on the official Khelo India Games discipline list as "Tennis", so athletes identified by the discipline's selectors can be considered under Khelo India Talent Identification & Development (KITID). Appearing on the list is not itself a grant of funding.
Which Indian has won the most Grand Slam titles?▾
Leander Paes with 18 major titles across men's doubles and mixed doubles.
What ATP-level events are held in India?▾
The Maharashtra Open (ATP 250) in Pune and the Bengaluru Open (ATP Challenger).
Tennis in every state & UT
Dedicated pages for Tennis in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.
- Tennis in Andhra Pradesh
- Tennis in Arunachal Pradesh
- Tennis in Assam
- Tennis in Bihar
- Tennis in Chhattisgarh
- Tennis in Goa
- Tennis in Gujarat
- Tennis in Haryana
- Tennis in Himachal Pradesh
- Tennis in Jharkhand
- Tennis in Karnataka
- Tennis in Kerala
- Tennis in Madhya Pradesh
- Tennis in Maharashtra
- Tennis in Manipur
- Tennis in Meghalaya
- Tennis in Mizoram
- Tennis in Nagaland
- Tennis in Odisha
- Tennis in Punjab
- Tennis in Rajasthan
- Tennis in Sikkim
- Tennis in Tamil Nadu
- Tennis in Telangana
- Tennis in Tripura
- Tennis in Uttar Pradesh
- Tennis in Uttarakhand
- Tennis in West Bengal
- Tennis in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Tennis in Chandigarh
- Tennis in Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
- Tennis in Delhi
- Tennis in Jammu & Kashmir
- Tennis in Ladakh
- Tennis in Lakshadweep
- Tennis in Puducherry