NEW DELHI: India’s top tennis players, who made a lasting impact on the international circuit last year, have earned nominations for the esteemed Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2024. Known for their agility, technique, and unwavering tenacity, these athletes will be recognised at the awards.
As February 22 draws closer, anticipation builds for the prestigious Tennis Player of the Year award. The winners will be celebrated at a grand event in Lucknow, the historic ‘City of Nawabs.’
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The assessment period for the awards was from January 1 to December 31, 2024 and the list of award winners was drawn by the eminent TOISA 2024 Jury.
Embodying the spirit of dedication and perseverance, this year’s theme, #MoreSweatMoreGlory, honours the tireless efforts of athletes and para-athletes across multiple sports.
Below is the list of nominees for tennis:
Tennis Player of the Year
Sumit Nagal
Date of Birth: August 16, 1997
Place of Birth: Jhajjar, Haryana
Sport: Tennis (singles)
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Australian Open second round
– Made his top-100 ranking
– Monte Carlo Masters second round
Sumit Nagal made a significant breakthrough in 2024 when he qualified for the Australian Open main draw and stunned World No. 27 Alexander Bublik in the first round. He became the first Indian since Ramesh Krishnan in 1989 to beat a seeded player. It also marked his first Grand Slam main draw win and propelled him into the top 100 ATP rankings for the first time in his career. He became the first Indian since Somdev Devvarman to achieve this milestone. At the Monte Carlo, Sumit Nagal became the first Indian male player to win a Masters 1000 match on clay.
Rohan Bopanna
Date of Birth: March 4, 1980
Place of Birth: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Sport: Tennis (doubles)
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Australian Open men’s doubles title – oldest major champion
– World No. 1 – oldest first-time top-ranked player at 43 years old
– Miami Open champion – oldest Masters 1000 finalist and champion at 44 years old
– Padma Shri winner
Rohan Bopanna had a historic start to 2024, winning his first Grand Slam men’s doubles title at the Australian Open with partner Matthew Ebden at age 43, making him the oldest first-time Grand Slam winner in the Open Era. This victory also helped him achieve the World No. 1 doubles ranking for the first time in his career in January 2024. Later in the year, he won the Miami Open title, when 44 years old, which made him the oldest Masters 1000 event winner. His contribution to the sport and for the country were recognised with a Padma Shri award.
Yuki Bhambri
Date of Birth: July 4, 1992
Place of Birth: New Delhi
Sport: Tennis (doubles)
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Four ATP Tour doubles finals in Munich, Gstaad, Lyon and Chengdu
– Two doubles titles alongside Albano Olivetti
– Career-high World No. 42 ranking in doubles
In 2024, Yuki Bhambri achieved a career-high ATP doubles ranking of 42, marking a significant milestone in his tennis career. Partnering with Albano Olivetti, Bhambri reached four ATP Tour finals, in Munich, Gstaad, Lyon and Chengdu to showcase his prowess on the doubles circuit after giving up on a singles career. The pairing won two titles in Munich and Gstaad.
N Sriram Balaji
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Won two men’s doubles titles in Rovereto and Cagliari
– Reached three finals
– Achieved career-high ranking
N Sriram Balaji, focusing on doubles in 2024, partnered Mexico’s Miguel Reyes-Varela at the French Open and made the deepest run at a major event by reaching the third round. He won ATP Challenger title in Rovereto and Cagliari (Italy) alongside Rithvik Choudhary Bollipalli and Andre Begemann, respectively, while playing three other finals (Bad Walters- dorf, Braunschweig, Perugia). He achieved a career-high World No. 61 in September.
Rutuja Bhosale
Date of Birth: March 27, 1996
Place of Birth: Shrirampur, Maharashtra
Sport: Tennis (singles, doubles)
Major Achievements in 2024:
– Champion of ITF W35 Zaragoza, Spain in women’s doubles
– Champion of ITF W75 in Fukoka, Japan in women’s doubles
– Champion of ITF W50 in Wuning, China in women’s doubles
– Runner-up of ITF Barkeley, California in women’s doubles
– Runner-up of ITF W50 Palma Del Rio, Spain in women’s doubles
– Runner-up of ITF W50 in Kofu, Japan in women’s doubles
Rutuja Bhosale had an impressive 2024 in the doubles department while also competing in the singles. She reached World No. 183, close to her career-high of 180 achieved in 2019, during the year. She won three women’s doubles titles in the year and finished runner-up in three more.