Doubles Success Not Enough, India Needs Singles Champions: Vijay Amritraj

Indian tennis icon Vijay Amritraj emphasized that doubles success cannot substitute for elite singles achievements. Speaking ahead of Wimbledon 2026, he revealed his ultimate career dream is to commentate on an Indian singles player competing on Centre Court

New Delhil Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has said his biggest aspiration for the country’s tennis future is to witness an Indian singles player competing for the Wimbledon title, stressing that success in doubles alone cannot fulfil India’s long-standing ambitions in the sport.

Amritraj reflected on the direction of Indian tennis while discussing the current crop of players, including Yuki Bhambri and Sriram Balaji. Asked whether Indian tennis today requires stronger role models or better players to carry the sport forward, the former Davis Cup stalwart pointed to the importance of producing elite singles competitors capable of challenging the world’s best.

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“Yuki Bhambri and Sriram Balaji are all very good doubles players, but that doesn’t give you a chance to win Wimbledon or do well in Wimbledon or make the top 100 or the top 50 or the top 20 or put India in a Davis Cup final. That’s the key here,” Amritraj told IANS during JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026.

For Amritraj, who guided the Indian team to the Davis Cup Finals in 1974 and 1987, the benchmark of success lies not merely in competing at Grand Slams but in consistently challenging the world’s top-ranked singles players on the sport’s biggest stages.

“The most important part of this is the fact that you end up making a commitment to the sport and you play it at the highest level and you have to compete with the world’s best, with the top 128 players at the championships. That’s where you want to perform. That’s where you want to win Wimbledon, playing a singles match with a tricolour flying. That’s the goal,” the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee expressed.

The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist also revealed that his personal dream has evolved over the years. Having transitioned into one of the most recognisable voices in international tennis broadcasting, Amritraj said he now hopes to witness an Indian singles player competing on Centre Court while he is behind the microphone.

“My goal in the last 20 years, 15 years has truly been in television where I want to be able to commentate on an Indian playing on the Centre Court at Wimbledon in singles where he has a chance to win. That’s the goal here, and I think that’s where the commitment, the excitement and all of it comes together when that person is up leading 4-1 in the fifth,” Amritraj stated.

The JioStar expert concluded by expressing hope that Indian tennis will eventually produce a player capable of realising that vision, saying, “I look for that and I hope it happens soon.”

(Catch Wimbledon 2026, from June 29 – July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network)