The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s top athletes across various sports. TOISA 2025 will honour performances from January 1 to December 31, 2025, recognising standout moments from global championships and international tournaments. More than 45 categories will acknowledge both sporting icons and emerging talents who brought pride to the country.Winners will be chosen by a distinguished jury of sporting legends, including Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Devendra Jhajharia, Sharath Kamal, and Leander Paes, ensuring credible recognition of excellence in Indian sport.Here are the tennis players nominated for TOISA 2025:Tennis (Male)Rohan BopannaDate of Birth: March 4, 1980Place of Birth: Bengaluru, KarnatakaSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:US Open: Played his final Grand Slam match in New York.Paris Masters: Partnered with Alexander Bublik in his final tour-level appearance.Officially retired from professional tennis in November 2025 at the age of 45.A true legend of the sport, Rohan Bopanna brought his illustrious two-decade career to a close in 2025. After becoming the oldest World No. 1 and a Grand Slam champion in 2024, Bopanna used his final season to bid farewell to the global circuit, ending his journey as one of the most respected figures in tennis. His retirement marked the end of an era for Indian tennis, leaving behind a legacy of 26 ATP titles and two Grand Slam crowns.Yuki BhambriDate of Birth: July 4, 1992Place of Birth: New DelhiSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:Dubai Tennis Championships (ATP 500): Gold (Doubles title with Alexei Popyrin)US Open: Reached his first-ever Grand Slam Semi-final (Doubles with Michael Venus)ATP Ranking Milestone: Broke into the World Top 20 in doubles.Surpassed Rohan Bopanna to become India’s No. 1 ranked doubles player.Yuki Bhambri enjoyed a sensational 2025, fully establishing himself as one of the world’s elite doubles specialists. He secured his first ATP 500 title in Dubai and made a historic run to the semi-finals of the US Open, becoming the last Indian standing in the year’s final Major. By climbing into the global Top 20, Bhambri effectively took over the mantle of leadership in Indian men’s tennis following Bopanna’s retirement.Sumit NagalDate of Birth: August 16, 1997Place of Birth: Jhajjar, HaryanaSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:Australian Open: Main Draw participant.Copa Faulcombridge: Reached the Quarter-finals in Valencia.Braga Open: Quarter-finalist.Finished the year as India’s highest-ranked singles player.Sumit Nagal continued to lead the charge for Indian singles on the ATP Challenger and World Tour in 2025. He maintained his presence in the Grand Slam main draws and secured consistent results on his preferred clay courts in Europe, reaching several quarter-finals. Nagal’s resilience throughout the year ensured that India remained represented in the upper echelons of the global singles rankings during a period of transition for the national team.Tennis (Female) Ankita RainaDate of Birth: January 11, 1993Place of Birth: Ahmedabad, GujaratSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:WTA 125 Chennai Open: Semi-finalist (Singles).ITF W60 Traralgon (Australia): Quarter-finalist.Held the India No. 1 ranking for a significant portion of the year.Ankita Raina remained the most consistent force in Indian women’s tennis throughout 2025. Her standout performance came at the WTA 125 Chennai Open, where she thrilled home fans by advancing to the semi-finals after a gruelling victory over Romania’s Irina Bara. On the international circuit, she continued to rack up wins in Australia and Europe, proving her longevity and status as the primary pillar of India’s Billie Jean King Cup squad. Vaishnavi AdkarDate of Birth: December 14, 2004Place of Birth: Pune, MaharashtraSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:FISU World University Games: Bronze (Women’s Singles).Fenesta Women’s Nationals: Gold (National Champion).First Indian woman ever to win a tennis medal at the World University Games.Vaishnavi Adkar scripted history in 2025 by winning a bronze medal at the FISU World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, ending a 46-year medal drought for India in tennis at the event. Her victory over home favorite Sina Herrmann in the quarter-finals secured India’s first medal in the sport since 1979. Domestically, she solidified her rising status by winning the prestigious Fenesta National title, marking her as the brightest young prospect in the country.Sahaja YamalapalliDate of Birth: October 29, 2000Place of Birth: Hyderabad, TelanganaSport: TennisMajor Achievements in 2025:WTA Chennai Open: Won her WTA main-draw debut match.ITF W35 Santo Domingo: Gold (Doubles title with Hiroko Kuwata).Reached and held the National No. 1 spot in Women’s Singles.2025 saw Sahaja Yamalapalli make significant strides on the professional tour, highlighted by her successful WTA debut in Chennai, where she earned her first main-draw victory. She also added to her trophy cabinet with an ITF doubles title in the Dominican Republic. By finishing the year as the AITA National No. 1, Sahaja confirmed her position as a major contender to lead the next generation of Indian women’s singles players.
