The tennis team selection came under the scanner after two-time Asian Games gold medallist Rohan Bopanna came out with strong comments on the exclusion of young tennis stars. The tennis star said on social media that "a committee that never stood where they stood has decided their fate on paper, before a ball is struck." He contended that the officials overlooked the players' form and ability to perform. "...creating discretionary back-channel clearances for tennis players ranked 25th to 40th in Asia would destroy administrative integrity and trigger widespread litigation from other National Sports Federations (NSFs)," he said.
Manas Dhamne (men's singles), Vaishnavi Adkar (women's singles), Sahaja Yamalapalli (women's singles), Vaidehee Chaudhari (women's doubles) and Prarthana Thombare (women's doubles) missed the bus and were not included in the seven-member India team.
However, sports ministry insisted that no norms were flouted while selecting the final seven that will represent India at the Nagoya Asian Games from September 19 to October 4. It is understood that the All India Tennis Association that is heading to election did not send in the short list either. Yet, the sports ministry said that they did not fit the norms set by the ministry either. According to sports ministry the criteria was set last September and according to it an individual athlete needs to be among top six in Asia for singles events and ranked in the top eight in Asia for doubles over a 12-month period.
To this the AITA responded by saying they did fight for the tennis players. According to reports, "AITA stated that the matter was not merely about individual athletes but about ensuring that India fields its strongest possible tennis contingent".
The Asian Games has one singles player in Sumit Nagal. Ramkumar Ramanathan, Saketh Myneni, Yuki Bhambri, Rutuja Bhosale, and Ankita Raina are in the doubles teams.
