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The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved financial assistance for leading Indian tennis players Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal, while also recommending the inclusion of emerging player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) during its 169th meeting.
According to a press release from SAI Media, this has been done keeping in mind Indian Tennis players' preparations for key events such as the Asian Games 2026 and the second round of the Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers. The MOC approved a financial assistance package worth Rs 28.89 lakh for Bhambri to support his training and competition calendar from February to September 2026, covering his international schedule spanning 33 weeks (231 days) of ATP and Grand Slam competitions as well as training on the professional circuit. Under TAGG, the approved assistance will support Bhambri for personal physiotherapy services, being put forward by his physio, Daniel Hatch, during training and competition days leading up to key national commitments such as the Davis Cup tie in September and the Asian Games 2026. Bhambri has been in excellent form internationally, having reached the Round 3 at the 2026 Australian Open and the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open in doubles competition. He is also currently ranked World No. 23 in doubles and Asian No. 1. The MOC also approved financial assistance worth Rs 27.51 lakh for Sumit Nagal to support his international training and competition programme from March to October 2026. Nagal's calendar includes participation in ATP Challenger events, ATP Tour events, ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, Grand Slams such as Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as the Davis Cup 2nd round tie and Asian Games 2026. TAGG recommended Nagal's coaching support for 70 days from March to May 2026 through the Nensel Academy Tennis School, with coaches Sascha Nensel and Milos Galecic guiding the 28-year-old during the crucial training and competition period. Currently India's No.1 singles player on the ATP rankings, Nagal is ranked World No. 282, with a career-high ranking of 68 in 2024. After returning from injury, he recently reached the Round of 16 at ATP 75 tournaments in Pune and Delhi and also represented India in the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands in Bengaluru last month. Meanwhile, the inclusion of rising Indian player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) was done on the basis of his potential as a strong singles and doubles player for India. Dhakshineswar has registered six wins over top-200-ranked players, including a victory against a top-100 opponent, highlighting his ability to compete at higher levels. During India's recent Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers victory over the Netherlands in February 2026, Dhakshineswar delivered a standout performance by contributing to all three Indian wins. He won both his singles matches against players ranked World No. 88 and World No. 162, and also partnered with Bhambri to clinch the crucial doubles match. The victory was historically significant as it helped India reach the Davis Cup World Group stage for the first time since 2011, ending a long wait for Indian tennis fans. With the addition of Dhakshineswar Suresh, 12 Tennis players are now supported under the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme. The scheme, introduced in 2025 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has been modelled on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to provide financial assistance to Asiad medal prospects ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. (ANI)
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