CHANDIGARH, OCT 31 :Pakistan’s Zubair Md Telha, whose Asian Tennis Federation’s ranking is 269th, is among the five foreigners who have been given wild cards in the boys singles main draw of 32 in the Asian Ranking Championship boys and girls under-14 being organised by the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association at the Sector 10 Tennis Stadium here from November 3 to 8.
Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association chairman Rajan Kashyap said that besides five foreigners getting wild cards, five players from the host country was also getting five wild cards. In fact 10 wild cards each in the boys and girls singles have been awarded for the main draw. Ogihara Kenta (Japan, 321st), Dhruv Yadav (USA), Tan Jun Singh (Singapore) and Nguyen Hoang Thein (Vietnam) are the wild card entrants. The Indian boys who got wild cards are: Sohil Singh Bedi (289th), Nikhil Kannan, Bhavratanpreet Singh (321st), Atul Sri Patel (37th) and Nikhil Passi (136th).
Rajan Kashyap said that only four players in boys and girls would move into the main draw through qualifying rounds.
In the girls under-14 singles main draw, 177th ATF ranked Neesha Menon of Malaysia and Tamitha Nguyen from Vietnam are the only foreigners who have been awarded wild card entry into the main draw. Rimpledeep Kaur (29th), Rajbir Kaur (155th), Prabhuti Singhania (158th), Anushka Rajkumar (195th WC), Harkirat Kaur (211th), Sonali Bansal (231st, Charvi Saxena (237th) and Vibhuti Khullar (244th ) are the eight Indian girls who will compete as wild card entrants..
The qualifying round will begin tomorrow and the main draw from November 3.
There are total of three foreign entries in the girls main draw of 32. Two are Malaysians – Thevivya Selvarajoo (ATF ranked 4th) and wild card Neesha Menon. Third foreigner to be seen in action will be wild card Tamitha Nguyen (Vietnam).
Tarrannum Handa of India, ranked second in Asian Tennis Federation is the leading star among the 18 players and 10 wild cards who got direct entry into girls the main draw.
Abhishek Alla of India and Vishal Passi, with ATF rankings of sixth and seventh respectively, are the top contenders in the main draw of boys singles. Malaysian Sean u-Quan (149th) is the lone foreign contender who figures among 18 direct entries. There are five foreigners who made it to the main draw as wild card entrants.
The following players got direct entry or wild cards:
Boys singles: Abhishek Alla (Ind, ATF ranking 6th), Vishal Passi (Ind,7th) , Digvijay Singh Naruka (Ind 11th), Nischay Rawal (Ind 55th), Kuwar Singh Tater (Ind 82nd), Surya Pavan (Ind 95th), Nikhil Reddy (Ind 103th), S.K Mukund (Ind 113th), A K Pardha Saradhi (Ind 123th), Anvit Bendre (Ind 128th), Sean U-Quan (Mas 149th), Madhurjya Dutta (Ind 168th), Karan Bidani (Ind 171th), Manish Kumar (Ind 193rd), Rishab Agarwal (Ind 204th), M M Aamir Sohrab (Ind 204th), Jatinder Singh (Ind 223rd), Ishank Ravi (Ind 269th), Zubair Md Telha (Pak 269th Wild Card), Ogihara Kenta (Jpn 321st Wild Card),
Dhruv Yadav (USA Wild Card), Tan Jun Singh (Sin Wild Card), Nguyen Hoang Thein (Vie Wild Card),Sohil Singh Bedi (Ind 289 Wild Card), Nikhil Kannan (Ind Wild Card), Bhavratanpreet Singh (Ind 321st Wild Card), Atul Sri Patel (Ind 37thWild Card) and Nikhil Passi (Ind 136th Wild Card).
Joy Mukherjee will act as tournament referee.
Girls singles: Tarrannum Handa (Ind 2nd),Theviya Selvarajoo (Malaysia 4th), Teertha Iska (Ind 6th), Megha Sehrawat (Ind 9th), Mrinalini Alla (Ind 14th), Bhavika Wadhawan (Ind 20th), Shagufta Shaikh (Ind 26th), C Sai Samitha (Ind 30th), Swetha Sree Hari (Ind 34th), Parminder Kaur (Ind 43rd), asmin Kaur Bajaj (Ind 46th), Roma Chandiran (Ind 67th), Shreya Pasricha (Ind 71st), Bharati Bylapudi (Ind 75th), Likhita Shetty (Ind 85th), Urmila Gunaganti (Ind 98th), Aareyalee Chavaan (Ind 116th), Vasundara Raju (Ind 136th), Neesha Menon (Malasia 177th), Tamitha Nguyen (Vietnam, Wild Card), Rimpledeep Kaur (Ind 29th WC), Rajbir Kaur (Ind 155th), Prabhuti Singhania (Ind 158 th), Anushka Rajkumar (Ind 195th WC), Harkirat Kaur (211th WC), Sonali Bansal (231st WC), Charvi Saxena (237th WC) and Vibhuti Khullar (244th WC).