The 2014 Asian Games in Incheon produced another memorable chapter in India’s tennis history, with Sania Mirza once again at the heart of the medal-winning campaign.
Four years after Guangzhou, where India collected five tennis medals, a new combination emerged in mixed doubles. Sania joined forces with Saketh Myneni, and the pairing delivered India’s biggest tennis moment of the Games.
By the time the competition ended, India had collected five tennis medals — one gold, one silver and three bronze.
Incheon 2014: A changing generation
Tennis at the 17th Asian Games was played at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts in Incheon, with the tennis competition running from 20 to 30 September 2014.
India’s men’s contingent included Yuki Bhambri, Divij Sharan, Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh, while the women’s team featured Sania Mirza, Prarthana Thombare, Ankita Raina, Natasha Palha, Shweta Rana and Rishika Sunkara.
🥇 Sania Mirza & Saketh Myneni: Gold in Mixed Doubles
The biggest moment arrived on 29 September.
Sania Mirza and Saketh Myneni entered the mixed doubles draw as the second seeds. After receiving a first-round bye, they began their campaign against Uzbekistan’s Sanjar Fayziev and Sabina Sharipova.
Round 2
Sania Mirza/Saketh Myneni def. Sanjar Fayziev/Sabina Sharipova (Uzbekistan) 6–3, 6–4
In the quarterfinal, the Indians faced South Korea’s Chang Yeon-jeong and Han Na-lae.
Quarterfinal
Mirza/Myneni def. Chang Yeon-jeong/Han Na-lae (South Korea) 6–3, 7–6(7–4)
The semifinal brought a meeting with China’s Zhang Ze and Zheng Jie.
Semifinal
Mirza/Myneni def. Zhang Ze/Zheng Jie (China) 6–1, 6–3
That sent the Indians into the final against Chinese Taipei’s Peng Hsien-yin and Chan Hao-ching, the top seeds.
The final
Sania and Saketh produced a composed performance in the gold-medal match, taking the opening set 6–4 before closing out the second 6–3.
Sania Mirza/Saketh Myneni def. Peng Hsien-yin/Chan Hao-ching (Chinese Taipei) 6–4, 6–3
India had its only tennis gold medal of the Incheon Games.
For Sania, the victory added another chapter to her remarkable Asian Games record. She had previously won mixed doubles gold with Leander Paes at Doha 2006 and silver with Vishnu Vardhan at Guangzhou 2010.
For Saketh, it was a spectacular introduction to the Asian Games stage: he had become a champion in his very first appearance.
🥈 Saketh Myneni & Sanam Singh: Men’s Doubles Silver
Saketh’s campaign was not finished. Alongside Sanam Singh, he was also competing in men’s doubles.
The fifth-seeded Indians opened against South Korea’s Cho Min-hyeok and Nam Ji-sung.
Round 1
Myneni/Sanam def. Cho Min-hyeok/Nam Ji-sung (South Korea) 6–3, 6–4
They then faced Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alhaqbani and Feras Ahmed.
Round 2
Myneni/Sanam def. Abdullah Alhaqbani/Feras Ahmed (Saudi Arabia) 6–0, 6–1
In the quarterfinal, the Indians met Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ti and Peng Hsien-yin.
Quarterfinal
Myneni/Sanam def. Chen Ti/Peng Hsien-yin (Chinese Taipei) 6–2, 7–6(12–10)
The semifinal was considerably tougher against Thailand’s experienced twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana.
Semifinal
Myneni/Sanam def. Sanchai Ratiwatana/Sonchat Ratiwatana (Thailand) 4–6, 6–3, [10–6]
The victory put the Indians into the final against South Korea’s Lim Yong-kyu and Chung Hyeon.
The Korean pair won the opening set and then edged the Indians in a tight second-set tie-break.
Final
Lim Yong-kyu/Chung Hyeon def. Myneni/Sanam 7–5, 7–6(7–2)
Saketh therefore returned from his first Asian Games with one gold and one silver, while Sanam added another doubles medal to the gold he had won with Somdev Devvarman at Guangzhou 2010.
🥉 Yuki Bhambri: Men’s Singles Bronze
While Saketh was making his mark, Yuki Bhambri was putting together a strong singles campaign.
After a first-round bye, Bhambri opened against Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Mutawa.
Round 2
Yuki Bhambri def. Mohammed Al-Mutawa (Qatar) 6–1, 6–0
He then defeated Indonesia’s Christopher Rungkat.
Round 3
Bhambri def. Christopher Rungkat (Indonesia) 6–3, 6–3
In the quarterfinal, Bhambri overcame Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke.
Quarterfinal
Bhambri def. Danai Udomchoke (Thailand) 6–3, 6–2
His semifinal opponent was Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.
Bhambri took the first set, but Nishioka turned the match around.
Semifinal
Yoshihito Nishioka def. Yuki Bhambri (India) 3–6, 6–2, 6–1
With no bronze-medal playoff, Bhambri’s semifinal appearance guaranteed him a bronze medal.
🥉 Yuki Bhambri & Divij Sharan: Men’s Doubles Bronze
Bhambri’s Games also produced a second medal.
Partnering Divij Sharan, he reached the men’s doubles semifinals.
The Indian pair received a first-round bye and then defeated Hong Kong’s Wong Chun-hun and Yeung Pak-long.
Round 2
Bhambri/Sharan def. Wong Chun-hun/Yeung Pak-long (Hong Kong) 6–2, 6–3
They progressed to the semifinal, where they faced South Korea’s Chung Hyeon and Lim Yong-kyu.
It became one of the closest matches of India’s campaign.
Semifinal
Chung Hyeon/Lim Yong-kyu def. Yuki Bhambri/Divij Sharan 7–6(10–8), 6–7(6–8), 11–9
The Indians had match points in the deciding tie-break before the Korean pair fought back to reach the final. Bhambri and Sharan therefore took bronze.
For Bhambri, it meant two bronze medals from the same Asian Games — one in singles and one in men’s doubles. The Indian Olympic Association and Government of India records confirm both medals.
🥉 Sania Mirza & Prarthana Thombare: Women’s Doubles Bronze
Sania Mirza’s Incheon campaign produced a second medal, this time alongside Prarthana Thombare in women’s doubles.
The fifth-seeded Indian pair received a first-round bye before beginning their campaign against Mongolia’s Enkhbayar and Gotov.
Round 2
Mirza/Thombare def. Enkhbayar/Gotov (Mongolia) 6–0, 6–0
In the quarterfinal, the Indians faced Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn.
Quarterfinal
Mirza/Thombare def. Plipuech/Lertcheewakarn (Thailand) 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
That victory took the Indians into the semifinals, where they faced the second-seeded Chinese Taipei pair of Chan Chin-wei and Hsieh Su-wei.
Sania and Prarthana took the opening set to a tie-break but lost it 7–6(7–1). They fought back to level the match by taking the second set 6–2, but the Chinese Taipei pair prevailed in the deciding match tie-break 10–4.
Semifinal
Chan Chin-wei/Hsieh Su-wei def. Mirza/Thombare 6–7(1–7), 6–2, [10–4]
The semifinal defeat meant Sania Mirza and Prarthana Thombare won the bronze medal.
This was Sania’s second medal of the Incheon Games, following her mixed doubles gold with Saketh Myneni.
The team events
India also competed in the men’s and women’s team competitions, but neither side reached the medal rounds.
The men’s team of Sanam Singh, Yuki Bhambri, Saketh Myneni and Divij Sharan received a bye before defeating Nepal 3–0. They then lost 1–2 to Kazakhstan in the quarterfinal.
The women’s team of Prarthana Thombare, Ankita Raina, Natasha Palha and Rishika Sunkara defeated Oman 3–0 before losing 1–2 to Kazakhstan in the quarterfinal.
Consequently, all five of India’s tennis medals came from singles and doubles events.
India’s Five-Medal Haul
Another Asian Games chapter for Sania
Incheon further cemented Sania Mirza’s place in India’s Asian Games tennis story.
She returned from South Korea with two medals — gold in mixed doubles alongside Saketh Myneni and bronze in women’s doubles with Prarthana Thombare.
Saketh was another standout, leaving his first Asian Games with a gold and a silver, while Yuki Bhambri matched that medal haul with two bronzes.
India’s five-medal haul meant that the country’s tennis campaign had once again produced a combination of established stars and emerging names.
The baton was being passed from one generation to another — but Sania Mirza was still firmly at the centre of the story.
🇮🇳 Asian Games Fact File — Incheon 2014
Games: 17th Asian Games
Host city: Incheon, South Korea
Games dates: 19 September – 4 October 2014
Tennis venue: Yeorumul Tennis Courts
Tennis competition: 20–30 September 2014
Indian tennis medals: 5
Gold: 1
Silver: 1
Bronze: 3
Gold medal: Sania Mirza & Saketh Myneni — Mixed Doubles
Saketh Myneni: 1 Gold + 1 Silver
Sania Mirza: 1 Gold + 1 Bronze
Yuki Bhambri: 2 Bronze