Tennis: Players list for Roland-Garros Junior Wild Card Event announced

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has announced the list of players who will be contending for a spot at the main draw of the juniors’ singles category of the Roland Garros.

The tournament, officially known as the Rendezvous Roland Garros will enter its fifth edition this year.

The Indian qualifiers for this event will take place from April 29th to May 1st. The tournament will be held at the clay courts of Delhi Lawn Tennis Association which were constructed in 2016 with the help of the French Tennis Federation.

The eight boys who have been selected for the Indian leg of Rendezvous Roland Garros are Mann Maulik Shah, Dev Javia, Ajay Malik, Kabir Hans, Madhwin Kamath, Sushant Dabas, Divesh Gahlot, Rhythem Malhotra. The eight boys selected are within the Top 11 of the National Rankings.

The eight girls who have been selected are Salsa Aher, Kaavya Sawhney, Humera Shaikh, Bhakti Shah, Sarah Dev, Nikita Vishwase, Sunskrithi Damera, Gargi Pawar. The eight girls selected are within the Top 13 of the National Rankings.

Dev Javia and Mann Maulik Shah make their second consecutive appearance at this tournament.

The winners of the Indian leg of the event will fly to Paris where they will be placed in the wildcard playoffs tournament.

This tournament will feature winners of the Rendezvous tournament from China, Japan, Korea, Brazil and USA. The winner of this event in Paris will get the wildcard into the main draw of the juniors' singles event.

The players who will make it to Paris will get a chance to interact with seven-time grand slam champion Justine Henin. Henin, an Olympic gold medallist had won the French Open four times in her career.

Siddhant Banthia and Rashmikaa Bhamidiptay

 In the past, Abhimanyu Vannemreddy had earned the juniors’ singles wildcard entry in 2017.

Last year, Siddhant Banthia and Rashmikaa Bhamidiptay were the boys’ and girls’ singles winners respectively of the Indian leg of the Rendezvous Roland Garros. Banthia lost in the Paris playoffs of the wildcard event whereas Bhamidiptay had to pull out of the qualifying wildcard event.

Ramesh Krishnan was the last player to win the junior French Open back in 1979 whereas we are yet to witness a girls’ singles champion at the junior French Open.