Anand Amritraj, a former top-100 player and long-time Davis Cup captain, insists that India’s top players who refuse to participate in the Davis Cup should face some form of repercussion.
While India’s 4-0 recent win over Togo in Delhi may not have been affected by the absence of India’s singles No. 1 Sumit Nagal and doubles No. 2 Yuki Bhambri, it does not change the fact that several of India’s top athletes have been opting out of national duty in recent events.
Due to the ATP Tour’s independence, it is difficult for national federations to impose discipline. However, Amritraj believes that the All India Tennis Association (AITA) could take action since it oversees entries for major events like the Olympics and Asian Games, and some of the Indian athletes benefit from the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
“That’s where you should put the screws on them. I think you can definitely do that… If you’re in any kind of place with some leverage, you should say: ‘Either you play Davis Cup, or you won’t get this.’ Simple,” Amritraj said.
During his time as a player and captain, Amritraj guided India to some memorable Davis Cup victories. He believed it wasn’t the captain’s role to convince players to commit to national duty. He said: “The desire has to come from within. The player has to decide before I get into the captain’s chair that he wants to play.”
AITA previous actions to ‘put the screws’
The AITA has made efforts to hold players accountable in the past. For example, it refused to submit Sumit Nagal’s nomination for a wildcard entry to the 2024 Australian Open after he opted out of the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan. Nagal, nevertheless, qualified on his own for the Australian Open and reached the second round.
Similarly, Mukund Sasikumar, who returned to the team for the Togo tie but had previously stayed away, also faced consequences from the AITA.