New Delhi, March 12: The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved financial assistance for Indian tennis stars Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal, while also recommending the inclusion of emerging player Dhakshineswar Suresh in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) during its 169th meeting.
The decision aims to strengthen India’s preparations for major upcoming events including the Asian Games 2026 and the Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Financial Assistance for Yuki Bhambri
The MOC approved financial assistance of ₹28.89 lakh for Yuki Bhambri to support his training and competition schedule from February to September 2026. The funding will cover his international calendar spanning 33 weeks (231 days) of ATP tournaments, Grand Slam events, and professional training commitments.
Under the TAGG scheme, Bhambri will also receive support for personal physiotherapy services provided by his physio Daniel Hatch during training and competitions leading up to key tournaments such as the Davis Cup tie in September and the Asian Games 2026.
Bhambri has been in impressive form on the international circuit, reaching the Round 3 of the 2026 Australian Open and the semi-finals of the 2025 US Open in doubles. He is currently ranked World No. 23 in doubles and is the Asian No. 1 in the discipline.
Support for India’s No. 1 Singles Player Sumit Nagal
The Mission Olympic Cell also approved ₹27.51 lakh in financial assistance for Sumit Nagal to support his training and international competition schedule from March to October 2026.
Nagal’s calendar includes participation in ATP Challenger events, ATP Tour tournaments, ATP Masters 1000 competitions, and Grand Slam events including Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. His schedule also features the Davis Cup second-round tie and the Asian Games 2026.
Under TAGG, coaching support for 70 days from March to May 2026 has been approved through the Nensel Academy Tennis School, with coaches Sascha Nensel and Milos Galecic guiding the 28-year-old.
Currently India’s No. 1 singles player on the ATP rankings, Nagal is ranked World No. 282, with a career-high ranking of No. 68 in 2024. After returning from injury, he recently reached the Round of 16 at ATP 75 tournaments in Pune and Delhi and represented India in the Davis Cup tie against the Netherlands in Bengaluru.
Dhakshineswar Suresh Added to Target Asian Games Group
Rising Indian tennis player Dhakshineswar Suresh has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) based on his growing potential as a strong singles and doubles contender for India.
Suresh has recorded six victories over top-200 ranked players, including a win against a top-100 opponent, demonstrating his ability to compete at higher levels of international tennis.
During India’s Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers victory over the Netherlands in February 2026, Suresh delivered a standout performance by contributing to all three Indian wins. He won both his singles matches against players ranked World No. 88 and World No. 162 and partnered with Yuki Bhambri to secure the crucial doubles victory.
The triumph was historically significant as it helped India reach the Davis Cup World Group stage for the first time since 2011, ending a long wait for Indian tennis fans.
About the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG)
With the addition of Dhakshineswar Suresh, 12 Indian tennis players are now supported under the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme.
Introduced in 2025 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the programme is modeled on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and provides financial assistance to athletes considered strong medal prospects for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.