Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan have provided a glimmer of hope for Indian tennis at the Asian Games by securing a shot at a doubles medal. Meanwhile, Indian singles players Sumit Nagal and Ankita Raina suffered quarterfinal exits, dimming prospects of a singles medal.
In a spirited performance, Myneni and Ramkumar defeated the home favorites, Zhizhen Zhang and Wu Yibing, with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (8) in the quarterfinals. This victory advances the Indian duo to the semifinals, where they will face South Korea’s Soonwoo Kwon and Seongchan Hong.
Another opportunity for a medal opened up in mixed doubles as Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale progressed to the quarterfinals, defeating Japan’s Ayano Shimizu and Shinji Hazawa 6-3, 6-4. Reaching the last four guarantees a bronze medal for the Indian pair.
However, it was a challenging day for Indian singles players. Sumit Nagal faced a formidable opponent in top seed and World No. 60, Zhang. Despite winning the first set, Nagal eventually succumbed to Zhang with a score of 7-6 (3), 1-6, 2-6. In the women’s singles, Ankita Raina put up a valiant fight but was defeated by Japan’s Haruka Kaji in a grueling match lasting 2 hours and 53 minutes, ending 6-3, 4-6, 4-6.
Raina, who had previously won a singles bronze in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, also faced disappointment in the mixed doubles event. Partnering with Yuki Bhambri, the top-seeded Indian pair suffered a 4-6, 6-4, 8-10 loss against Alex Eala and Francis Casey Alcantra in the third round.
Reflecting on Nagal’s performance, India’s men’s coach, Zeeshan Ali, acknowledged the challenge of facing the World No. 60 and praised Nagal’s first-set performance, where he had his opponent on the ropes. However, despite opportunities, Nagal couldn’t maintain the momentum in the later sets.
While the road to singles medals has become more challenging, the Indian contingent remains hopeful of adding more medals to their tally in the ongoing Asian Games.
Read Latest Tennis updates on CrPatiNews
- French Open 2025: Daniil Medvedev Crashes Out in Five-Set Thriller Against Cameron Norrie And Other Fixtures
Daniil Medvedev’s French Open journey came to a sudden halt on Day Three of the tournament after a dramatic five-set battle against Cameron Norrie. The 11th-seeded Russian, who had entered… - Rafael Nadal Said Goodbye To Tennis After His Last Match: What Roger Federer, Virat Kohli, And Other Stars Said About Him?Read about Rafael Nadal’s last match and tweets by Roger Federer, Virat Kohli, Novak Djokovic, and many more.
- Top 10 Tennis Players With Most Number Of Titles In Open EraOnly a few have reached the highest echelons of professional tennis and written their names into history books. These legendary athletes, with unmatched skills, tenacity, and passion for the game,…
