In the 20th century, India was one of the shining stars of the global tennis arena. Then, in the 2010s, things started to take a drastic downturn. Can India claw its way back to its former glory days?
What went wrong, and what will it take to reverse its fortunes?
India’s Prominent Tennis Past
For over 100 years, India has been a highly recognised tennis nation, with many success stories, especially in the later years of the 20th century.
A Brief History
Tennis was introduced into India in the 1880s by the British Army. The first official match ever played in the country was the Punjab Lawn Tennis Championship in Lahore in 1885. In 1908, Sardar Nihal Singh had the honour of being the first Indian tennis player to play at Wimbledon. Hassan-Ali Fyzee was one of the pioneers of Indian tennis and is considered the one who took it to the international stage. He won 10 singles titles in the 1910s and 1920s and set the bar high as he succeeded on clay, grass and indoor courts.
During the early years of the 20th century, India was a prominent country on the world tennis stage. In 1939, Mohammed Sleem and Ghaus Mohammad reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
India’s Tennis Heyday
The last 30 years of the 20th century and the first 10 of the 21st were the best for Indian tennis. Big-name doubles players, the Amritraj brothers, Ramesh Krishnan, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza ruled the courts.
Leander Paes, India’s most recognised tennis player, won a bronze medal at the Atlanta Summer Olympics in 1996. He made the most money as a professional tennis player—over $11 million.
Major Tennis Events
The National Lawn Tennis Championships of India and the India International Championships used to draw record crowds of tens of thousands. At the time, they were considered part of the biggest tennis tournaments in Asia. Neither of these events is currently held.
However, the momentum didn’t last. India had its heyday, and the industry saw a fast decline that started in the early years of the 2010s.
What Happened to the Tennis Industry in India?
Lack of star power, fading sponsorship deals and the rise of cricket helped tennis in India take a back seat on the world stage.
No Star Power
When Sania Mirza retired in 2013, she was the last Indian player of any note. During her career, she reached a world ranking of 27 back in 2007. For almost 20 years, there hasn’t been another player to excite and inspire the Indian audience enough to encourage them to embrace tennis.
Internal Conflicts
The beginning of the decline in tennis in India is partly due to the disagreements between players and the All India Tennis Association (AITA). Players accused the association’s managers of corruption and of ignoring player input in key decisions. Last-minute shuffling of Davis Cup captains proved to be a constant source of irritation for the players. It got so bad that some players refused to be partnered with players of other nations, while others called for a complete boycott. This infighting drew global attention —but for the wrong reasons.
Always in Cricket’s Shadow
Cricket is the national sport of India, with over 50% of the population as fans. Whether it’s full matches or just recaps, around 20% follow tennis, a significant difference. When India won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, cricket was cemented as the top sport of the nation. This acceptance meant most of the sponsorship dollars went to cricket, and tennis began to miss out. Cricket dominates the sports media, with TV, newspapers and digital media allocating more space to cricket than any other sport in the nation, including tennis.
The End of the ATP 250
The Maharashtra Open was India’s only ATP-level men’s event for 27 years. It began in New Delhi in 1996 and moved to Chennai and then Pune in 2018. With this final move, the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) held a five-year contract to host the event. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the events in 2021 and 2022 were cancelled, and the contract wasn’t renewed. The event moved to Hong Kong, where it’s currently held, leaving no ATP 250 recognition in India.
At the peak of its run in India, the Maharashtra Open hosted top international players such as Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic and Carlos Moya. Prize money topped $640,000. Without an ATP 250 event, India was no longer recognised as a world-class tennis destination.
What’s Needed for an Indian Tennis Revival?
It’s not all over for India; in fact, the country is set for a revival. All it needs is one superstar player. Having a local celebrity will open the door to sponsorship dollars, and the snowball will start from there.
A Superstar Local Tennis Champion
The last time an Indian player reached number one in the world ranking was in 1999 when doubles players Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi both achieved it. Since then, while some have come close to the top 10, there hasn’t been a stand-out champion in decades. To fuel excitement for the local industry, one of the current or new entrants needs to rise through the ranks. The two players who may just achieve this are Manas Dhamne and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, both rising young singles players. Each has reached a world ranking around 250—Manas in the ATP and Maaya in the WTA.
Upgrade the Infrastructure
The lack of interest in tennis in India, due in part to not having a local player to support, has also contributed to the decline in infrastructure. Most of the courts and stadiums are decades old, and there hasn’t been any budget to make repairs.
There are plans to dismantle and rebuild the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as part of a new 102-acre Sports City, but it’s still only at the planning stage.
Private Sponsorship and Media Role
With all the available sponsorship dollars going to the cricket industry, it’s a challenge for India’s tennis associations to make a case. While there are no ATP 250 events, there still are ATP 125 events like the Mumbai Open, which need more sponsorship and promotion to remind spectators that there is still an active tennis scene.
More Government and Private Sector Initiatives
India’s younger tennis players now benefit from two initiatives. The government-run AITA youth development program and new coaching academies run by retired players are looking for the next singles or doubles superstar. They’re out there, and when their star rises, so will India’s tennis industry.
How Sports Betting Could Help
In 2025, the Indian government released its Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act. This act aims to crack down on gambling games of chance, while promoting betting on games of skill. Sports betting is governed at a state level, and while you can bet on tennis in Sikkim and Goa, there are strict regulations.
This new legislation is expected to open the doors to online betting, meaning fans of cricket, tennis and online gambling could soon participate. Being able to bet on tennis could open the doors to more local enthusiasm. Even without a local player to champion, fans can bet on their international favourites, which may result in those players eyeing India as an event destination once more. It could also open the doors to sponsorships where the gambling companies usually are the ones who invest the most in sporting events.
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It’s Now a Waiting Game
Indian tennis has seen highs and lows and is prepared to regain its former glory. New stars are appearing, and with access to coaching and mentoring, it won’t be long before new household names in tennis emerge in the country. Once the players rise, the sponsorships, advertising budgets and global recognition will follow. With doors opening in the sports betting arena, too, tennis could eventually take cricket on as the nation’s preferred sport. At this point, anything is possible.
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