Financial Support Approved for Indian Tennis Stars Ahead of Major Competitions

Support for Leading Indian Tennis Players

The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), operating under the Sports Authority of India (SAI), has granted financial aid to prominent Indian tennis athletes Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal. Additionally, the MOC has recommended the inclusion of promising player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) during its 169th meeting.

As per a statement from SAI Media, this initiative aims to bolster the preparations of Indian tennis players for significant upcoming events, including the Asian Games 2026 and the second round of the Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

The MOC has allocated a financial package of Rs 28.89 lakh for Bhambri, intended to support his training and competition schedule from February to September 2026. This funding will cover his international commitments over 33 weeks (231 days) involving ATP and Grand Slam tournaments, along with professional circuit training.

Under the TAGG initiative, Bhambri will receive assistance for personal physiotherapy services provided by his physiotherapist, Daniel Hatch, during training and competition periods leading up to crucial national events like the Davis Cup tie in September and the Asian Games 2026. Bhambri has shown remarkable form internationally, reaching the third round at the 2026 Australian Open and the semi-finals in doubles at the 2025 US Open. He currently holds the rank of World No. 23 in doubles and is the top player in Asia.

Furthermore, Sumit Nagal has been granted Rs 27.51 lakh to support his international training and competition plans from March to October 2026. His schedule includes participation in ATP Challenger events, ATP Tour events, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, Grand Slams like Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open, as well as the Davis Cup second round tie and the Asian Games 2026.

The TAGG has also recommended coaching support for Nagal for 70 days from March to May 2026 through the Nensel Academy Tennis School, with coaches Sascha Nensel and Milos Galecic mentoring the 28-year-old during this critical training and competition phase. Currently, Nagal is India's top singles player in the ATP rankings, holding the World No. 282 position, with a career-high ranking of 68 achieved in 2024. After recovering from an injury, he recently reached the Round of 16 at ATP 75 tournaments in Pune and Delhi and represented India in the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands last month.

In addition, the inclusion of rising star Dhakshineswar Suresh in the TAGG was based on his potential as a strong competitor in both singles and doubles. Dhakshineswar has secured six victories against players ranked in the top 200, including a win over a top-100 opponent, showcasing his capability to compete at elevated levels.

During India's recent Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers win against the Netherlands in February 2026, Dhakshineswar made a significant impact by contributing to all three of India's victories. He won both his singles matches against players ranked World No. 88 and World No. 162, and teamed up with Bhambri to secure a vital doubles match. This victory marked a historic moment, as it enabled India to reach the Davis Cup World Group stage for the first time since 2011, ending a lengthy wait for Indian tennis enthusiasts.

With Dhakshineswar Suresh's addition, a total of 12 tennis players are now receiving support under the TAGG scheme. Launched in 2025 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, this initiative is modeled after the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to provide financial backing to potential medalists ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.