The 2024 Paris Olympics are right around the corner, and the excitement among sports fans is at its peak. The Indian contingent is also ready to showcase their skills at the highest level. Veteran Rohan Bopanna has decided to partner with N. Sriram Balaji on the red clay of Paris, and the duo will be the only Indian representation in the doubles event. India’s No. 1 singles player, Sumit Nagal, is in red-hot form, having won his 6th ATP Challenger title at Heilbronn when the Olympic spot was on the line. Below, we look back at how Indian tennis has performed in the past four editions of the Summer Olympics.
Beijing Olympics 2008
The 2008 Beijing Olympics saw India notch a significant milestone in shooting with Abhinav Bindra’s historic gold medal. However, Indian tennis also made its presence felt, despite not clinching any medals. Here’s a look back at their performance :
Men’s Doubles : Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, the iconic Indian doubles pair known as the “Indian Express,” entered the 2008 Beijing Olympics hoping to add an Olympic medal to their impressive trophy cabinet.
Paes and Bhupathi, reunited after a brief split, displayed glimpses of their old magic. They cruised through their first two matches, showcasing their well-coordinated game – Paes’ volleying prowess complementing Bhupathi’s strong baseline play. A dominant victory over the Brazilian team of Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa in the second round further bolstered their chances.
However, their path to a medal was blocked by the eventual champions, the formidable Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka. The quarter-final clash was a tight affair, but the Swiss pair proved too strong, prevailing in straight sets. This defeat ended Paes and Bhupathi’s Olympic campaign, leaving them with a sense of what could have been.
Women’s Singles : Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza arrived at the 2008 Beijing Olympics brimming with potential. Ranked a career-high 27th in singles, she was seen as a beacon of hope for Indian tennis.
Mirza entered the singles competition carrying a nagging wrist injury. Despite battling the pain, she took the court against Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic. The match started poorly, with Mirza trailing 1-6, 1-2. Unable to bear the pain any longer, she was forced to retire mid-match, her Olympic dream shattered.
Women’s Doubles : Sania Mirza and Sunitha Rao
Partnering with Sunitha Rao, Mirza received a walkover in the first round, a stroke of luck. However, their journey was short-lived as they went down to top seed Russian pair of Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina.
London 2012 Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics witnessed the largest Indian contingent till that point recorded India’s best Olympic performance. The tally was later bettered at Tokyo 2020. However, the story of Indian tennis at these Games was one of missed opportunities.
Men’s singles : Somdev Devvarman and Vishnu Vardhan
A lucky Vishnu Vardhan joined Somdev Devvarman in the men’s singles event as he replaced injured Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the draw.
Vardhan was given a last-minute place after the German player withdrew with a right hamstring injury. Ranked 302 in the world at that time, Vardhan was the highest-ranked player eligible to contest the men’s singles. Both Vishnu and Somdev failed to cross the first hurdle.
Men’s Doubles : Leander Paes/Vishnu Vardhan and Rohan Bopanna/Mahesh Bhupathi
Leander Paes, a veteran with Olympic experience, partnered with Vishnu Vardhan and the established 7th seed duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna competed in the men’s doubles, carrying high expectations. Unfortunately, both the Indian duos went to the French pairing in the second round.
Women’s Doubles : Sania Mirza/Rushmi Chakravarthi
Sania Mirza, teamed up with Rushmi Chakravarthi in the women’s doubles but they were unable to overcome their opponents in the opening round itself.
Mixed Doubles : Leander Paes/Sania Mirza
However, amidst the disappointment, a glimmer of hope emerged. Sania Mirza, partnering with the legendary Leander Paes in the mixed doubles category, won their first round match and reached the quarterfinals where they were up against the top seed Belarus pair.
Our pair put up a good fight but went down in straight sets. The Belarus pair eventually won the gold medal in the event.
Rio De Janeiro Olympics 2016
The 2016 Rio Olympics marked a significant moment for Indian sports. For the first time ever, India’s Olympic medals came solely from its female athletes. PV Sindhu, a rising star in badminton, clinched a silver medal in the women’s singles, becoming India’s youngest individual Olympic medalist at the time. Sakshi Malik, a trailblazer in women’s wrestling, added a historic bronze becoming the first Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal.
India’s tennis contingent at the 2016 Rio Olympics brought a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The spotlight shone brightest on the pairing of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna in mixed doubles.
Men’s Doubles : Rohan Bopanna/Leander Paes
Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna’s pairing at the 2016 Rio Olympics was one that generated a lot of excitement for Indian tennis fans. However, their stint in Rio turned out to be a short-lived one.
Women’s Doubles : Sania Mirza/Prarthana Thombare
Mirza, a seasoned campaigner ranked No. 1 in doubles at the time, carried the weight of expectation. Thombare, ranked 190th, was a relatively inexperienced player on the big stage. Despite the disparity, the Indian pair displayed commendable fighting spirit.
The Chinese duo of Peng Shuai and Shuai Zhang edge past our pair in tight 3 sets.
Mixed Doubles : Sania Mirza/Rohan Bopanna
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna’s journey at the Rio 2016 Olympics became a story of immense promise followed by agonizing heartbreak. The duo started their campaign with a hard-fought victory over the Australian team of Samantha Stosur and John Peers. This momentum propelled them into the quarterfinals, where they faced the challenge of Andy Murray and Heather Watson of Great Britain. Our duo secured a straight-set victory and raised hopes for a historic medal.
However, their dream run hit a roadblock in the semifinals. Up against the American team of Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram, they fell short in a tightly contested match. The disappointment of the semifinal loss carried over into the bronze medal match against the Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek and Lucie Hradceka. Sania and Rohan struggled to find their rhythm, ultimately conceding the match in straight sets.
Tokyo Olympics 2020
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were a landmark event for Indian athletics. The nation sent its biggest ever contingent of 126 athletes, competing across a record 69 events in 18 different sports disciplines. This surge in participation reflected the growing depth and professionalism within Indian sports.
Men’s Singles : Sumit Nagal
Sumit Nagal’s journey at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was a story of resilience, grit, and a historic achievement for Indian tennis. Though he didn’t reach the medal rounds, his performance etched his name in the record books.
His first opponent was Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin. In a thrilling three-set battle, Nagal displayed his fighting spirit. He took the opening set comfortably but faced a fightback from Istomin in the second. However, Nagal held his nerve in the decider, securing a 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4 victory. This win was monumental. It marked the first time an Indian men’s singles player had won at the Olympics since Leander Paes’s bronze medal run in 1996. The tennis world and India celebrated Nagal’s achievement.
The second round presented a much stiffer challenge. World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev awaited. Though Nagal played valiantly, the gulf in class was evident. Medvedev emerged victorious, bringing Nagal’s Olympic run to an end.
Women’s Doubles : Sania Mirza/Ankita Raina
Mirza, competing in her fourth Olympics, received a protected ranking due to a break from the sport for pregnancy and injuries. Raina, on the other hand, was making her Olympic debut. Mirza and Raina fell short against the Ukrainian sisters Nadiia and Liudmyla Kichenok.
The only medal for Indian tennis came from Leander Paes in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics when he won a bronze medal, defying all odds in the men’s singles event.
Data Source – Wikipedia, Official Olympics website and Indian Tennis Daily
P.S. The article is written by Shashank Sharma who is currently pursuing Executive MBA from Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon.