Yuki Bhambri, Sania to miss 2018 Asiad

Experienced tennis players Yuki Bhambri and Sania Mirza will not be part of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, slated to be held in Indonesia from August 19.

Bhambhri has been exempted by the All India Tennis Association's (AITA) selection committee, which met here on Monday to select the players for Asiad, as he will likely be in the main draw of the US Open.

On the other hand, Sania, who has won at least one medal at every Asian Games since her Asiad debut in 2002, will miss the Games owing to pregnancy.

The Indian men's team will comprise of Ramkumar Ramanathan, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sumit Nagal, Rohan Bopanna, Divij Sharan and veteran Leander Paes, the committee announced.

This will be Paes' first appearance at the Asian Games since winning the men's doubles gold medal with Mahesh Bhupathi and mixed doubles title with Sania Mirza at the 2006 Doha edition.

In total, the Kolkata veteran has won eight medals at the Asian Games.

Paes, 44, will represent India at the Asiad for his final time. He will be one of the oldest competitors at this edition of the Asian Games.

Paes is likely to team up with Rohan Bopanna in the men's doubles and compete in the mixed doubles with Ankita Raina.

India's leading singles competitor in the men's section will be world No.121 Ramkumar Ramanathan.

In the women's doubles, Ankita and Karman Kaur Thandi are expected to be the first-choice pair, while Prarthana Thombare could be teamed up with Pranjala Yadlapalli.

Apart from the four players, Rutuja Bhosale, Pranjala Yadlapalli and Riya Bhatia are also in the squad.

Zeeshan Ali and Ankita Bhambri has been appointed as the coach of men's and women's team respectively.

Besides, Gaurang Shukla and Anand Kumar will accompany the teams as Physios for the men & ladies' team respectively.

--IANS

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