AITA row: Rebel tennis players write to sports ministry

New Delhi: The ongoing crisis in Indian tennis has gone a step further with the eleven revolting players writing to the country's sports ministry requesting it to revoke last Friday's Davis Sup selection.

On January 11, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) had named a depleted Davis Cup squad to face South Korea, ignoring the eight rebel players for the Asia/Oceania Group I tie beginning here February 1.

Announcing a four-man team comprising of veteran Leander Paes, Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan (517), Vijayant Malik (542) and Purav Raja (155 in doubles), the AITA vice-president Bharat Oza had clarified that the ruling body had agreed to a few of the unselected players' demands.

The eight tennis players have cited miscommunication on AITA\'s part and demanded re-selection for the Davis Cup squad to face South Korea in New Delhi.

However, the eleven players, including Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Boppanna and Somdev Devvarman, have submitted a letter citing miscommunication on the AITA's part when naming the Davis Cup squad and have demanded a re-selection.

The last date for AITA to submit the players' names for the Davis Cup in January 22.

The eleven players - Bhupathi, Bopanna, Devvarman, Yuki Bhambri, Vishnu Vardhan, Sanam Singh, Divij Sharan, Saketh Myneni, Sriram Balaji, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar - had earlier expressed their dissatisfaction at the AITA decision to name the Davis Cup squad.

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