Here are the best Indian Tennis Players who have proudly represented India on the international stage with exceptional skill, determination, and sportsmanship.
While India has produced its own legends, the global conversation often centres on the greatest tennis players of all time who set the standard for excellence.
From the legendary Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, who dominated doubles tennis, to modern stars like Sumit Nagal and the trailblazing Sania Mirza, these best Indian tennis players have achieved remarkable success in Grand Slams, Davis Cup, and WTA/ATP tours.
This comprehensive ranking highlights their major accomplishments, career highlights, and lasting contributions to Indian tennis, celebrating the rise of Indian tennis on the global platform.
10. Yuki Bhambri
During his whole tennis career, his injuries have been a source of trouble to Yuki Bhambri, and now, for over two years, he has suffered an injury combined with coronavirus lockdown.
He was the first Indian to win the Australian Junior Open title and the fourth Indian in history to win a Grand Slam Junior Singles title, and was a former Junior No. 1 winner of the Australian Open Junior Championship in 2009.
9. Sumit Nagal
Sumit Nagal is a prominent Indian tennis player known for his remarkable talent and resilience. As of 2025, Nagal has carved a niche for himself in international tennis with notable achievements.
He reached a career-high ranking of 68 in the ATP singles chart in July 2024. Nagal has won over 34 professional matches and has a win rate of around 56%.
His notable victories include defeating several top-ranked players, and he has secured 24 career titles, mainly at the ATP Challenger level.
Nagal is remembered for making a spectacular run at the 2024 Australian Open, where he upset the 31st seed Alexander Bublik, marking a historic moment for Indian tennis.
He has also been competitive on clay courts and has been working towards climbing higher in the ATP rankings.
8. Somdev Devvarman
Somdev Devvarman is now ready to return to the game four years after retiring from professional tennis, this time as a coach.
India’s former top-ranking player has joined the Nensel Tennis Academy in Peine, Germany, as a high-performance expert.
He has won back-to-back finals in his junior years and in his senior years at the University of Virginia in three consecutive NCAA finals.
His win-loss record of 44-1 was unprecedented during the 2008 NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship.
In 2009, the ATP World Tour was his best accomplishment, as a wild card entry, in the final of the Chennai Open. Somdev won the gold medal at the XIX Commonwealth Games in the men’s singles event and won the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, with both men’s singles and doubles gold.
Scott McCain coached him. In 2011, Devvarman was awarded the Arjuna Award for his tennis successes by the Indian government.
7. Rohan Bopanna
Since 2002, Rohan Bopanna has won a Grand Slam title and four 1000 ATP Masters in his long career and is a member of India’s Davis Cup team.
At the Olympics 2012 and 2016, the veteran, still strong at the age of 40 years, also represented India. Most of his recent appearances have been in double matches in professional tournaments. Since 2002, he has been a member of the Indian Davis Cup team. He, along with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, was a runner-up in doubles at the US Open. Along with Gabriela Dabrowski, He won the 2017 French Open mixed-doubles title, becoming the fourth Indian player to win a Grand Slam title.
6. Ramesh Krishnan
Ramesh Krishnan is an Indian tennis coach and tennis player. He won singles in both Wimbledon and the French Open as a junior player in the late 1970s.
In the 1980s, he participated in three quarterfinals of the Grand Slam and was a member of the Indian team, which was runner up in the 1987 Davis Cup. At the Australian Open in 1989, Krishnan beat then-world No. 1, Mats Wilander.
5. Vijay Amritraj
Vijay Amritraj is a former Indian tennis player from Madras, a sports commentator, and an occasional actor.
In 1970, Amritraj achieved his first major singles milestone by reaching the quarterfinals of two Grand Slam tournaments after playing his first Grand Prix event.
At Wimbledon, he lost in five sets to eventual champion Jan Kodeš, while at the U.S. Open, he was defeated by Ken Rosewall after beating Rod Laver two rounds earlier.
During the second round of the 1974 American Open, Amritraj defeated Björn Borg before losing to Ken Rosewall in the quarterfinals. Amritraj was also a member of the Indian Davis Cup team in 1974 and 1987.
4. Ramanathan Krishnan
In the 1950s and 1960s, Ramanathan Krishnan was a retired Indian tennis player who was among the world’s leading players.
In Wimbledon 1960 and 1961, he reached the semifinals twice and reached as high as World No. 6 in Lance Tingay’s amateur rankings. He became the first Junior Wimbledon Champion (first Asian) in 1954.
Ramesh Krishnan emulated his dad twenty-five years later in 1979. The third Indian in 1990 was Leander Paes, who won the Junior Wimbledon title.
3. Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza has become a leading role model in the transformation of Indian tennis throughout her career. Sania became the first Indian woman to be in the top 30 in the WTA singles rankings.
With her insatiable drive to succeed, she achieved several other accomplishments along the way like winning six Grand Slams and reaching the WTA doubles rankings summit.
Her dominance in doubles cements her place among the greatest female tennis players of all time.
2. Mahesh Bhupathi
Mahesh Bhupathi is a retired Indian professional tennis player and was the first Indian to win a Grand Slam tournament.
For men’s doubles, he formed a potent pair with fellow players like Leander Paes. But he found most of his successes in the mixed doubles, winning five titles at the Grand Slam.
1. Leander Paes
Very few athletes in the world can boast a career as colorful as Leander Paes. The veteran tennis player has experienced many adventures both on and off the court.
Off the court, his longevity and success have also made him one of the richest tennis players, proving that doubles specialists can achieve immense financial success.
Leander Paes is perhaps India’s greatest tennis player. While his singles achievements are relatively smaller compared to his doubles success, he recorded several major singles victories during the first decade of his remarkable 30-year career.
A former Davis Cup team captain, he also holds the record for the most Davis Cup doubles wins, with 43 victories.
The Best Indian Tennis Players showcase the immense talent, resilience, and passion that have propelled Indian tennis to greater heights.
A booming serve can be a game‑changer, and the fastest tennis serve ever recorded is a feat that many Indian players have studied and admired.
These athletes have not only won prestigious titles and brought home medals but have also inspired millions of young Indians to take up the sport.
Their journey from local courts to international arenas continues to strengthen India’s presence in global tennis.
As Indian tennis grows stronger, the legacy of these best Indian tennis players will motivate future generations.