Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has described the doubles draw at Wimbledon 2026 as "always quite open," asserting that Indian players retain a strong chance of making an impact at the prestigious Grand Slam. Speaking at the JioStar Media Day ahead of the tournament, Amritraj highlighted the unpredictability of doubles tennis, noting that seeded teams often face greater pressure while unseeded pairs can capitalize on opportunities.
Amritraj on Doubles Dynamics
"Yes, I mean, the doubles draw is always quite open. I think that our boys always have a good shot at the doubles. There can be some breaks in the draw, and seeds can drop out. Not that the seeds are far superior to the others anyway. I think the seeded teams in doubles have more pressure on them; the unseeded teams have less pressure on them. Our boys have always been pretty good in doubles, and it has to be seen how these guys perform towards the early stages of the match and, needless to say, in the closing stages of the match as well," Amritraj told reporters.
The 2026 Wimbledon Championships, the 139th edition, are scheduled to take place from June 29 to July 12. Amritraj, a JioStar expert for the event, emphasized that Indian doubles players could follow in the footsteps of Rohan Bopanna, who has gradually transitioned from the game.
India's Singles Challenge
While praising India's focus on doubles over the past decade, Amritraj stressed the need to build depth in singles to compete in team events like the Davis Cup. "Obviously, as far as Indians are concerned, in the last decade or so, we've actually concentrated on doubles for whatever reason. And truly, at the end of the day, this game is about singles. In this game, we need four Davis Cup points in singles and one Davis Cup point in doubles. Yes, I do believe that these guys can have a shot at winning a Grand Slam. I think they all do, and it would be fantastic if someone followed in Rohan's footsteps in the doubles. And no question about it, but truly at the end of the day, we need four singles players for Davis Cup," he added.
Amritraj's Legacy
Amritraj is widely credited for putting Indian tennis on the global map. He dominated Asian tennis for over a decade, achieving a career-best singles ranking of World No. 16 in 1980. Competing professionally from 1970 to 1993, he won 16 singles and 14 doubles titles. He remained the top-ranked player in Asia for 14 consecutive years, underscoring his consistency and regional dominance.
In 2024, Amritraj became the first Indian man inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. His career includes 16 ATP singles titles—an Asian record—and 13 doubles titles. He was honored with the Padma Shri in 1983 and the Padma Bhushan in 2026.
Wimbledon 2026 will be broadcast live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network from June 29 to July 12.
