Players hit hard as Chandigarh tennis assn fails to hold major events
The city which used to host the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) National Ranking Tournaments/Talent Series almost every week, has not hosted a single such meet for a little over seven months now as the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) still plans to have its own arena since the Chandigarh Administration took possession of the Sector 10 sports complex in September 2025.
The CLTA is an affiliated body of the AITA, and also associated with conducting of related tournaments. However, after losing the possession of the Sector 10 complex, the association is struggling to plan tournaments for local kids. Sources claimed that the CLTA also approached Panjab University to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for shifting their coaching centre to the campus, but the project hit a massive roadblock after objections were raised by the campus authorities.
As per the AITA 2026 tournament calendar, no affiliated tournament has been listed for Chandigarh or CLTA, while a nearby centre at Zirakpur has been awarded four to five events. “We have already extended our full support to the UT Administration for conducting any national ranking or challenge series tournament. A letter has already been submitted to the UT Sports Department. We have also involved our associate members for planning and conducting such events at a common venue, so that Chandigarh trainees shouldn’t suffer and get a platform to perform for a better future in tennis. The CLTA is committed to working for local players,” said Viswajeet Khanna, president, CLTA.
The CLTA had last hosted the AITA National Series for U-16 in August 2025, and was scheduled to host the AITA Women’s (Rs 2.5 lakh prize money) the next month. However, the tournament was dropped after the Chandigarh Administration decided not to extend the lease. The process continued for over a week, and the Sports Department took over the complex’s possession on September 19, ending the 28-year-lease at nominal charges.
Recently, the Sector 10 complex hosted a local-level tournament organised by the UT Sports Department for the first-time ever at the arena.
As per the set practice in Chandigarh, which is applied to all local sports associations, the respective association is allotted a national-level tournament by their parent (national) association. The local associations prefer conducting tournaments at local sports complexes, which function under the UT Sports Department, as the policy allows them to take the complexes free-of-cost for conducting any affiliated meet. The department charges no amount from the local associations for conducting state meets. Recently, the Sports Department also allowed displays of sponsors’ banners at specific locations by paying a nominal fee.
“If not the national or challenge series, the local association shall organise a state meet, so that the local players become eligible for UT Administration’s cash awards policy. There are several players who are training, but have no major tournaments to play in Chandigarh and have to travel to other states,” said a local tennis player.
