Tennis in India

The game of tennis enjoys a considerable following in India, thanks to the achievements of some of the leading players. However, much unlike the present scenario, tennis had a modest start. British are credited for the inception of tennis as a game in India in 1880s. Gradually the game based it roots in India and tournaments like 'Punjab Lawn tennis Championship' at Lahore, 'Bengal Lawn Tennis Championship' at Calcutta and the 'All India Tennis Championships' at Allahabad started taking place. Some years after the inception, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) was formed, which became the apex body governing the game of tennis in India.

Though AITA organized various national and international tournaments, it was not until the mid 1990s that India gained international recognition and fame. Players, such as Ramanathan Krishnan, Jaidip Mukerjea and Premjit Lal, dominated the game and changed the scenario completely. Talking about the present times, while Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi duo dominated the double circuit by annexing a host of Grand Slam titles, Sania Mirza, Karan Rastogi, and Rohan Bopanna.have emerged as a teen idol with their impressive performances. With such budding players and promising youngsters dominating the Indian tennis, the future of the game in the country looks bright and indeed rosy.