New Delhi: Veteran Leander Paes Monday returned to the Indian team for the Asian Games while the country’s top player Yuki Bhambri was exempted as the All India Tennis Association (AITA) announced a 12-member squad, including six women players, for the quadrennial extravaganza, beginning August 18 in Indonesia.
Since Yuki, ranked 94, is likely to make the cut for the US Open, the AITA selection committee exempted him. The tennis events in Palembang are scheduled for August 19-25 while the US Open starts on August 27. The lack of time could make the travel and recovery extremely difficult for Yuki.
The six-member men’s squad has three singles specialists — Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sumit Nagal while the three doubles specialists are Paes, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan. The women’s squad will be led by leading singles player Ankita Raina. Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale, Pranjala Yadlapalli, Riya Bhatia and Prarthana Thombare are the other players in the team. Zeeshan Ali has been named the coach and captain of the men’s squad while the women’s team will be guided by Ankita Bhambri.