NEW DELHI: The All India
Tennis
Association (
AITA
) has publicly questioned the commitment of India's top
tennis players
, particularly Sumit Nagal, following the team's 0-4 Davis Cup defeat to Sweden.
The AITA claims Nagal withdrew from the tie citing a back injury but is now participating in an
ATP tournament
in China, raising doubts about the legitimacy of his prior absence.
This controversy underlines the larger issue of player participation and commitment to representing India in the Davis Cup.
The absence of experienced players like Nagal and
Yuki Bhambri
, who did not specify a reason for his withdrawal, significantly weakened the Indian team.
"Definitely if Sumit and Yuki had played, we would have had far better chances. They questioned the management of AITA, the captain and team. Sumit Nagal said he had some back problem, but (is) that problem okay (now)? He is playing a tournament in China, so somebody has to make people understand the right thing," AITA secretary Anil Dhupar said, as quoted by PTI.
This forced captain
Rohit Rajpal
to field a lineup heavily reliant on doubles specialists and debutants, leaving India with effectively one dedicated singles player.
"There is one point that people should know. Number two, Davis Cup is definitely a very important. It's more than a tournament, every player who is an Indian should participate if selected. So why not?" Dhupar remarked. "He (Nagal) said that he had a back injury and now he has entered this Hangzhou Open. He has become alright. My good wishes to him. Let the country decide. Let the people of India decide."
The AITA claims to have made efforts to persuade players, including Mukund Sasikumar, who is currently serving a suspension, to participate. However, these efforts were unsuccessful. "And it is not the first time that Mukund refused, three times before. Let the people decide, the players decide what can we do? We tried our best to bring these people on board. If they are not available, what to do?" he added.
In response to criticism, the AITA has defended its management of the situation, highlighting its efforts to develop tennis in India through numerous tournaments and coaching courses.
This public disagreement between the AITA and some of its prominent players has sparked debate about player commitment to national duty, the role of the AITA in supporting and managing players, and the overall state of
Indian tennis
.
The upcoming change in AITA leadership in October furthermore adds a new layer of intrigue to this evolving situation.
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