In the 20th century, India was one of the shining stars of the world tennis scene. After that, in the year 2010, things started to take a big downturn. Can India go back to its former glory?
What went wrong, and what will it take to get his money back?
Indian tennis legend of the past
For more than 100 years, India has been a well-known tennis nation, with many success stories, especially in the later years of the 20th century.
A brief history
Tennis was introduced to 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 the year 1885. In 1908, Sardar Nihal Singh had the honor 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 titles in the 1910s and 1920s and set the bar high as he excelled on clay, grass and indoor courts.
In the early years of the 20th century, India was a dominant country on the world tennis stage. In 1939, Mohammed Arem 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 21 were the best in Indian Tennis. The main players are doubled with Amritraj players, Ramesh Krishnan, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza ruling the courts.
Leaner Paes, India’s most recognized tennis player, won a bronze medal at the Atlanta Summer Olympics in the year 1996. He makes a lot of money as a $11 tennis player.
Major tennis events
The National Lawn Tennis Championship of India and the Indian International Championships used to draw tens of thousands of records. At that time, they were considered part of the biggest tennis tournaments in Asia. There is no charge for these events currently held.
However, the momentum did not last. India had its heyday, and the industry saw a rapid decline that began in the early 2010s.
What is happening in the tennis industry in India?
Lack of star power, sponsorship deals and the rise of cricket have 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 his career, he reached a world ranking of 27 back in 2007. For almost 20 years, there has been no other player to inspire and inspire the Indian audience enough to catch tennis.
Internal Conflicts
The beginning of the decline of tennis in India is due to disagreements between the players and the All India Tennis Association (AITA). The players accuse the management of the organization of corruption and neglecting the input of the players in important decisions. Last-minute changes to the Davis Cup clubs proved to be a constant source of irritation for players. It’s gotten so bad that some players have refused to partner with players from other nations, while others are demanding full tuition. This use of infighting is drawing global attention – but for the wrong reasons.
Always in the shade of cricket
Cricket is the National Sport of India, with 50% of people not liking it. Whether it’s full games or just redaps, about 20% follow tennis, a big difference. When India won the Cricket World Cup in 1983, Cricket was promoted as the nation’s top sport. This acceptance meant that most of the sponsorship dollars went to Cricket, and tennis started to miss out. Cricket dominates the sports media, with TV, newspapers and digital media devoting more space to cricket than any other sport in the nation, including tennis.
End of ATP 250
The Maharashtra Open was the only ATP-Level men’s event for 27 years. It started in New Delhi in 1996 and moved to Chennai in 2018. At the latest, the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) has been awarded a five-year contract to host the event. Due to the Covil-19 pandemic, the 2021 and 2022 events have been cancelled, and the contract has not been renewed. This event moved to Hong Kong, where it is currently held, leaving nothing for the ATP 250 to know in India.
At the peak of its run in India, the Maharashtra Open hosted top international players such as Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Clic and Carlos Moya. Prize Money included $640,000. Without the ATP 250 event, India was no longer seen as the world’s tennis hotbed.
What is needed for the revival of Indian tennis?
It is not all India; In fact, the country is set for revival. All you need is one superstar player. Having a local celebrity will open the door to sponsorship dollars, and the snowball starts from there.
A tropical tennis hero
The last time an Indian player reached the number one ranking in the world was in 1999 when Pers and Mahesh Bhupathi both achieved the double. Since then, while others have been close to the top 10, there hasn’t been a standout hero in decades. In order to lose happiness in the local industry, one of the current or new entrepreneurs needs to move up the ranks. Two players who may just achieve this are Manase Dhamne and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, both young players. They each reached the world level of about 250-manas in the ATP and Maaya in the WTA.
Develop infrastructure
The lack of interest in the promise in India, it is worth having a local player to support, has contributed to the decline in infrastructure. Most of the age-old courts and arenas are getting old, and there hasn’t been any budget for renovations.
There are plans to demolish and rebuild the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as part of the city’s new 102-acre Sports City, but it is in the final stages of planning.
Private sponsorship and the role of the media
With all the sponsorship dollars available going to the cricket industry, it is a challenge for the Indian Tennis Associations to make a case. While there are no ATP 250 events, there are still ATP 125 events such as the Mumbai open, which need more support and encouragement to remind viewers that there is still an active tennis audience.
Many government and private initiatives
Indian junior tennis players are now benefiting from two schemes. The government’s youth development program and new coaching schools run by retired players are looking for next singles or doubles with supermar. They got out there, and as their star rose, so did the Indian tennis industry.
How Sports Betting Can Help
In 2025, the Indian government released its own internet promotion and regulation. This law aims to crack down on gambling games of chance, while encouraging betting on games of skill. Sports betting is regulated at the state level, and while you can bet on tennis in Sikkim and Goa, there are strict rules.
The new law is expected to open the doors to online betting, meaning fans of cricket, tennis and online gambling can quickly participate. Knowing how to bet on tennis can open doors in the local game. Even without a local player to the Champion, fans can bet on their favorites abroad, which may lead to those Pers looking to India as a destination. It could also open doors to sponsorship where gambling companies are often the biggest investors in sporting events.
It is still early days to launch in India but fans looking for insightful advice on other aspects of gambling such as online casino and slots can check out gambling tips like Indiacasinos.
Now it’s a waiting game
Indian Tennis has seen highs and lows and is poised to recapture its former glory. New stars are emerging, and with access to training and discovery, it won’t be long before new household names in Tennis emerge from the country. As soon as the players step up, sponsors, advertising budgets and global recognition will follow. With the Doors opening in the field of sports betting, too, tennis finally took over from cricket as a patriotic sport. At this point, anything is possible.
