Billie Jean King Cup: Did AITA miss a trick by overlooking Sania Mirza? | Tennis News – Times of India
BENGALURU: When Sania Mirza brought the curtain down on her playing career in February, time was ripe for the 36-year-old to take over India’s Billie Jean King Cup captaincy.
Royal Challengers Bangalore signed the Hyderabadi on as mentor for Women’s Premier League even before she called a stop to her playing career, but the All India Tennis Association (AITA) overlooked their most successful pro of the last 40 years with characteristic carelessness. They replaced Vishal Uppal as non-playing captain with Shalini Thakur Chawla for the country’s upcoming campaign.
Sania, a six-time Grand Slam champion, doubles and mixed doubles, having spent 91 weeks as No. 1, finishing in the top-35 of the WTA singles rankings for four straight years (2005-2008), wasn’t considered for the captaincy of the side she was the lead player for the better part of two decades, outside of injury or pregnancy breaks.
Anil Dhupar, AITA secretary, told TOI that Sania wasn’t approached for the post of non-playing captain because ‘we want her to play’. “She reached the final (mixed doubles) in Australia,” he said. When told Sania had in fact retired, he said, “Players keep changing their minds all the time. But there will be more opportunities for her.”
Earlier, Suman Kapur, secretary, Haryana Tennis Association, also AITA Executive Committee member, dashed off a mail to Hironmoy Chatterjee, AITA VP (Sports) expressing ‘serious concern’ regarding the replacement of Uppal. Kapur wrote ‘any decision to replace Uppal should have been taken after discussions’ in the EC. The strategically leaked mail, a copy of which is with TOI, points at what is increasingly looking like an AITA vs AITA battle.
The Indian BJK Cup team of Ankita Raina (226), Karman Kaur Thandi (272), Rutuja Bhosale (385), Vaidehi Chaudhari (479) and Sahaja Yamalapalli (484) will leave for the Uzbek capital of Tashkent later in the week for the Group 1 Asia-Oceania contest that sees six teams — China, Korea, Japan and Thailand — being the other four, compete in a single group with two countries going through to the playoffs in November.
With Thakur as captain, Radhika Tulpule Kanitkar (coach) and Ajeeta Goel (physio), the count of support staff for the team is three.
If a player isn’t scheduled to take the court, the physio can attend to her only at the end of the day.
The Indian Davis Cup team, which incidentally doesn’t have a player in the top-350 of the rankings, travels as any professional outfit should — two physios, a doctor (has accompanied the side), a captain, coach and manager. A couple of probables even to help the team prepare.
Had AITA consulted with Sania, a four-time Olympian who has her hands full, but hasn’t said ‘no’ for India or tennis, she would have demanded better for the team.
Royal Challengers Bangalore signed the Hyderabadi on as mentor for Women’s Premier League even before she called a stop to her playing career, but the All India Tennis Association (AITA) overlooked their most successful pro of the last 40 years with characteristic carelessness. They replaced Vishal Uppal as non-playing captain with Shalini Thakur Chawla for the country’s upcoming campaign.
Sania, a six-time Grand Slam champion, doubles and mixed doubles, having spent 91 weeks as No. 1, finishing in the top-35 of the WTA singles rankings for four straight years (2005-2008), wasn’t considered for the captaincy of the side she was the lead player for the better part of two decades, outside of injury or pregnancy breaks.
Anil Dhupar, AITA secretary, told TOI that Sania wasn’t approached for the post of non-playing captain because ‘we want her to play’. “She reached the final (mixed doubles) in Australia,” he said. When told Sania had in fact retired, he said, “Players keep changing their minds all the time. But there will be more opportunities for her.”
Earlier, Suman Kapur, secretary, Haryana Tennis Association, also AITA Executive Committee member, dashed off a mail to Hironmoy Chatterjee, AITA VP (Sports) expressing ‘serious concern’ regarding the replacement of Uppal. Kapur wrote ‘any decision to replace Uppal should have been taken after discussions’ in the EC. The strategically leaked mail, a copy of which is with TOI, points at what is increasingly looking like an AITA vs AITA battle.
The Indian BJK Cup team of Ankita Raina (226), Karman Kaur Thandi (272), Rutuja Bhosale (385), Vaidehi Chaudhari (479) and Sahaja Yamalapalli (484) will leave for the Uzbek capital of Tashkent later in the week for the Group 1 Asia-Oceania contest that sees six teams — China, Korea, Japan and Thailand — being the other four, compete in a single group with two countries going through to the playoffs in November.
With Thakur as captain, Radhika Tulpule Kanitkar (coach) and Ajeeta Goel (physio), the count of support staff for the team is three.
If a player isn’t scheduled to take the court, the physio can attend to her only at the end of the day.
The Indian Davis Cup team, which incidentally doesn’t have a player in the top-350 of the rankings, travels as any professional outfit should — two physios, a doctor (has accompanied the side), a captain, coach and manager. A couple of probables even to help the team prepare.
Had AITA consulted with Sania, a four-time Olympian who has her hands full, but hasn’t said ‘no’ for India or tennis, she would have demanded better for the team.
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