India’s 20 years of barren tennis

Chandigarh, July 22

Ramkumar Ramanathan came close to winning an elusive ATP Tour title but faltered at the final hurdle on Sunday. He was beaten 7-5 3-6 6-2 by American Steve Johnson in the final of the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island. Ramanathan made an impressive run to the final but defeating Johnson proved too big a challenge for the Chennai native.

Incidentally, Leander Paes was the last Indian to win an ATP Tour title — way back in 1998. This fact best depicts the poor state of Indian tennis. 

Wait, don’t Indian players regularly win Grand Slam titles in doubles? Yes, that’s true, but the thing is that doubles tennis is the domain of the crocked and the elderly — singles tennis is the really serious tennis.

Ramkumar Ramanathan is currently ranked No. 161 in the world. His best ranking was No. 115 in April this year. The best ranking for Somdev Devvarman was No. 61 in 2011, and the best for Yuki Bhambri was No. 83, also in April this year. Bhambri is currently the world No. 85. These are the best players in India. Their world rankings illustrate just how incredibly competitive global tennis is. 

The numbers also indicate at a historical decline of Indian players in global tennis. After Leander Paes won his first and only ATP Title, at Newport in 1998, he was ranked No. 73. That was the highest he got on the singles ladder. Before Paes, Ramesh Krishnan was a top-30 player (best ranking No. 23). Vijay Amritraj was a top-20 player (best ranking No. 16). Ramanathan Krishan was a top-10 player in the pre-ATP era. Clearly, the doubles glory has papered over the cracks Indian tennis. — TNS