MOC extends support to top Indian tennis players
Indian tennis players Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal were on Thursday sanctioned financial assistance of close to Rs 30 lakh each by the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), while rising player Dhakshineswar Suresh was included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) to bolster preparations for the 2026 Asian Games and the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers.
The approvals were cleared during the 169th meeting of the MOC under the Sports Authority of India (SAI). Bhambri, who is currently ranked world No. 23 in doubles and is Asia’s top-ranked doubles player, will receive financial assistance of Rs 28.89 lakh to support his training and competition schedule between February and September 2026.
The funding covers his participation in ATP and Grand Slam events across a 33-week international calendar along with professional training commitments.
Under TAGG provisions, Bhambri’s assistance will also include support for personal physiotherapy services from Daniel Hatch during training blocks and competitions leading up to key events such as the Davis Cup tie in September on Korea and the Asian Games in Japan.
India’s top-ranked singles player Nagal was sanctioned Rs 27.51 lakh to support his international training and tournament schedule from March to October 2026.
The MOC also approved coaching support for Nagal for 70 days between March and May through the Nensel Academy Tennis School, where he will train under Sascha Nensel and Milos Galecic. The MOC also recommended the inclusion of Dhakshineswar in TAGG, citing his potential as a strong singles and doubles option for India at the Asian Games. The youngster has recorded six wins over top-200 players, including a victory over a top-100 opponent. He also delivered a standout performance during India’s Davis Cup Qualifiers win over the Netherlands in February, winning both his singles matches against players ranked No. 88 and No. 162 and partnering Bhambri to clinch the decisive doubles tie. The result helped India progress to the Davis Cup World Group stage.
With Dhakshineswar’s inclusion, 12 tennis players are now supported under TAGG, a scheme launched on the lines of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme to assist medal prospects ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
