Bengaluru erupted in celebration as India’s men’s wheelchair tennis team clinched a historic bronze medal at the Wheelchair Tennis World Team Cup Asia Qualifier for 2026. In a commanding 3-0 victory over Chinese Taipei, the Indian squad showcased resilience and skill, securing their spot on the podium in this prestigious event often dubbed the ‘Davis Cup of wheelchair tennis.’
The tournament, organized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), serves as a crucial gateway to the World Team Cup’s Asian zone. India’s top players—Shekhar Veeraswami (world rank 210), Basavaraj Kundargi from Karnataka (world rank 185), and Kartik Karunakaran from Tamil Nadu (world rank 351)—faced early setbacks but bounced back spectacularly.
Their campaign kicked off with a 0-3 loss to Korea Republic. Han Sungbong (rank 46) dominated Karunakaran 6-1, 6-1, Im Ho Won (rank 61) overpowered Kundargi 6-1, 6-2, and the doubles pair of Lee Jihwan (rank 52) and Han sealed it 6-3, 6-2.
A similar 0-3 defeat against hosts Sri Lanka followed, with Lasantha Ranawira (rank 63) crushing Veeraswami 6-2, 6-0, Suresh Dharmasena (rank 78) blanking Kundargi 6-0, 6-0, and the doubles team of Gamini Disanayaka and Prasanna Wijesiriwardene winning 6-3, 6-3.
But India roared back with a dominant 3-0 thrashing of Pakistan. Karunakaran dismantled Mohammad Firas (rank 156) 6-0, 6-0, Veeraswami edged Fida Hussain (rank 173) 6-0, 6-1, and the doubles duo completed the rout 6-0, 6-0.
The bronze-sealing masterclass came against Chinese Taipei. Karunakaran toppled Tang Chao-han (rank 84) 6-1, 6-1, Veeraswami defeated Wang Wei-hsuan (rank 92) 6-1, 6-2, and in doubles, they overwhelmed Cheng Han-tsung (rank 101) and Tang 6-1, 6-0. This podium finish underscores India’s rising dominance in Asian wheelchair tennis, with Karnataka players playing a pivotal role.
Coach and captain Peter Vijay Kumar beamed with pride: ‘This is the first time our men’s team has reached third place and won bronze. The players performed exceptionally, showing great teamwork and improvement. Qualifying for the Asian zone World Group is the toughest stage, so this bronze is truly commendable.’
Meanwhile, the women’s team—Shilpa Kadukothanahalli Puttaraju (rank 70), Prathima Narayan Rao from Karnataka (rank 83), and Mubina Kolakar from Maharashtra (rank 112)—faced tough opposition. They lost 0-3 to Korea, with Han Inkyung blanking Prathima 6-0, 6-0, Park Juyun beating Shilpa 6-1, 6-1, and doubles 6-0, 6-0.
China’s powerhouse duo Li Xiaohui (rank 2) and Wang Ziying (rank 4) handed India another 0-3 loss: Wang over Prathima 6-1, 6-0, Li over Shilpa 6-0, 6-1, doubles 6-0, 6-0.
In their final match against Kazakhstan, it was nearly a win. Zhanar Umutkulova edged Prathima 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3), Shilpa triumphed over Aizhan Butimbayeva 6-4, 6-4, but the Kazakh doubles pair clinched 6-2, 6-7(1), [10-5] for a 2-1 victory.
India’s men’s bronze marks a milestone, signaling brighter days ahead for wheelchair tennis in the country.