Ankita Raina will play in Tokyo Olympics? AITA requested the Tennis Federation

New Delhi. India’s talented female tennis player Ankita Raina is likely to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has requested the ITF (International Tennis Federation). The AITA said Ankita should be considered for a place in the women’s singles draw at the Tokyo Olympics on the basis of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games as China’s gold and silver medalists are eligible for direct entry from their higher rankings.

Ankita won a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games, the winner of which earned a continental qualification in the women’s singles draw for the Tokyo Olympics. China’s Wang Qiang won gold medals at the Jakarta and Palembang Games, while his compatriot Zhang Shuai won silver. At the same time, based on the June 14 WTA rankings, Zhang (ranked 36) and Shuai (ranked 38) will enter directly.

According to ITF rules, a player who earns a place from both the Continental Games qualification places and then the direct ranking will automatically qualify from the continental qualification quota places. The AITA has written that Ankita should be considered for entry to represent the country in the individual events at the Tokyo Olympics.

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“We have written to them about Ankita’s admission through continental quota and they have told us that they will inform us,” a senior AITA official told PTI. “It is understandable that if the gold and silver medalists enter the draw based on their higher ranking, the continental place should be given to the next best performer,” he said.

However, 28-year-old Ankita will make her Olympic debut in women’s doubles in Tokyo where she will partner Sania Mirza, who has a direct entry based on her top 10 ranking. He was ranked 181st on June 14 and was scheduled for direct entry on the same day. Sania booked her Olympic ticket using her secured ranking (No).

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Meanwhile, reliable sources said that India will not be represented in the men’s singles as the cut-off stands at 105 and India’s best players – Sumit Nagal (144) and Prajnesh Guneswaran (148) – are nowhere near. Whether Rohan Bopanna (38) and Divij Sharan (75) enter the men’s doubles remains to be seen. As of June 14, their ranking was 113, meaning their qualification would depend on the withdrawal of teams from other countries.

Rohan Bopanna and Sharan won gold medals at the Asian Games but the quota was kept only for singles players. If India fails to field a team in men’s doubles, the country will not be represented in the mixed doubles event as the 16-team event will feature only players from the main draw of other events. Undefined

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Tags: Ankita Raina, game news, tennis