Only wildcard can revive Sania’s Olympic hopes
June 11th, 2012 - 8:36 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Sania Mirza failed to protect her top 10 ranking in doubles, slipping to 12 in the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) charts released Monday, and that leaves her with no choice but to get a wild card if she has to play at the London Olympics.
Monday was the cut-off day set by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for direct qualification on the basis of the rankings after the French Open. The top-10 in doubles in both the men and women’s category earn a direct qualification.
Among men, Leander Paes is the only Indian to qualify for a direct entry in the doubles as he retained his seventh position in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings after the French Open.
The AITA selection committee comprising Jaideep Mukherjea, S.P. Misra, Rohit Rajpal, Zeeshan Ali and Sai Jayalakshmi along with two government nominees will decide Friday, who between Rohan Bopanna (World No.12) and Mahesh Bhupathi (World No.13) will partner Paes.
With Sania failing to make it on the strength of her ranking, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) is trying hard for a wildcard for her. Paraguay’s Veronica Cepede Royg and Liechenstein’s Stephanie Vogt have been offered two of the four wild cards.
AITA selector S.P. Misra told IANS that since Sania dropped out of top 10 only a wildcard can determine her hopes at the London Games.
“A wildcard can only help her get an entry into the singles and doubles for Olympics. In doubles, she can propose her doubles partner but the AITA selection committee will finally decide the combination,” said Misra.
Sania’s second Grand Slam title with Bhupathi and the first at the French Open has made sure the pair is India’s best bet at the Games, but Paes is still the front-runner to team up with her in London.
The AITA will announce the team June 15 as ITF has set June 21 as the deadline to confirm the entry of eligible players for the Games.
- French title will not get Sania-Bhupathi London ticket - Jun 08, 2012
- Sania, Somdev get wild card; 7 Indians for Olympic tennis (Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
- Paes serves a threat, AITA defers Olympics selection (Roundup) - Jun 20, 2012
- ITF gives first two Olympics wildcards - Apr 19, 2012
- AITA confident of getting Sania to play in Olympics - May 30, 2012
- AITA picks two teams for Olympics, Paes still unhappy (Roundup) - Jun 21, 2012
- Paes threatens to withdraw from Olympics - Jun 20, 2012
- Tricky issues confront tennis selectors - Jun 14, 2012
- AITA keeps players happy; to send two teams for Games (Second Lead) - Jun 21, 2012
- Maken questions AITA's decision to pick one team - Jun 18, 2012
- Vece Paes slams AITA's decision - Jun 21, 2012
- Sania tears apart AITA, doesn't spare Paes and Bhupathi (Lead) - Jun 27, 2012
- Sania slams Paes for demanding 'written assurances' - Jun 27, 2012
- Sonia, Somdev get wild card entry for London Olympics - Jun 26, 2012
- Paes to play with Vishnu, Bhupathi-Bopanna team up (Lead) - Jun 21, 2012
Tags: association of tennis professionals, atp rankings, best bet, eligible players, grand slam title, international tennis federation, itf, leander paes, liechenstein, london games, london olympics, mahesh bhupathi, misra, rohan bopanna, rohit rajpal, sania mirza, selection committee, tennis association, wild cards, zeeshan ali