Ankita Raina, Prajnesh Gunnswaran Nominated By means of AITA For Arjuna Award, Balram Singh, Enrico Piperno For Dhyanchand Award | Tennis Information

Asian Video games bronze medallists Ankita Raina and Prajnesh Gunneswaran had been nominated for the celebrated Arjuna award via the nationwide tennis federation, which has additionally despatched names of Balram Singh and Enrico Piperno for the Dhyanchand honour. Ankita and Prajnesh each gained singles bronze medals on the 2018 Asian Video games held in Jakarta and Palembang. Ankita is now the rustic’s best-ranked singles (182) and doubles (95) participant and is ready to make his Olympic debut on the Tokyo Video games subsequent month.

“This yr we’ve got nominated Ankita and Prajnesh for Arjuna whilst the names of very revered Balram sir and Enrico Piperno had been despatched for existence time fulfillment honour, Dhyanchand,” an All Indian Tennis Affiliation (AITA) legitimate informed PTI.

The 28-year-old Ankita has been India’s key participant within the Billie Jean King Cup group for the remaining 3 years.

She was once nominated for the ”Arjuna” remaining yr additionally however Asian Video games gold medallist Divij Sharan succeeded in bagging the award. Prajnesh is among the maximum mature avid gamers within the present Indian era. Had he no longer misplaced 5 a very powerful years to knee pressure fractures, his profession would had been an altogether other tale.

The 31-year-old left-hander from Chennai, ranked 148 at the ATP charts, has performed 5 Davis Cup ties for the rustic.

Within the Lifetime fulfillment class, Balram Singh, who has a 50 year-long affiliation with Indian tennis, will vie for the dignity in conjunction with Piperno, who coached the Davis Cup group between 1991-2001 for 27 consecutive ties.

The 73-year-old Balram, a kind of extraordinarily shy and non-controversial figures in Indian tennis, coached the Davis Cup groups in 1989 (South Korea) and 1990 (Japan).

He himself reached the junior Wimbledon and junior US Open quarterfinals in 1966. That he has at all times most popular to keep away from the limelight and paintings within the background is clear from the truth that he has carried out for an award for the primary time.

He additionally established Balram Singh Believe to improve proficient junior avid gamers. Balram is a member of the senior variety committee and in addition headed it prior to now.

His kids — Ashutosh Singh and Shalini Thakur — have additionally performed tennis at a just right stage. Whilst Ashutosh gained the Fenesta Nationals and was once additionally a reserve participant within the Davis Cup aspect, Shalini has performed the Fed Cup.

Promoted

The 59-year-old Piperno additionally has an excellent CV as he himself is an 1982 Asian Video games silver medallist and was once trainer of India’s first Grand Slam winner Mahesh Bhupathi from 1997 to 2003. He additionally travelled with the mythical Leander Paes. He was once additionally a trainer of the Indian Fed Cup group between 2000 and 2012 and the nationwide ladies group on the Asian Video games in Busan (2002), Doha (2006), and Guangzhou (2010).

Closing yr, former Davis Cup trainer Nandan Bal had gained the Dhyanchand award.