For most athletes, the dream of representing their country is supposed to be a moment of pride – one that comes wrapped in support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. But for the 28-year-old Indian tennis pro, Riya Bhatia, that dream has come with a price far heavier than any trophy she has lifted. It began with a simple question – a question she never thought she would have to ask after a decade of carrying the national flag on international courts…

“Why does representing my country feel like I’m begging for the basic means to compete?” That sentence wasn’t a whisper behind closed doors. It was a cry hurled into the open, a frustration accumulated over years of sacrifice, heartbreak, and relentless pursuit of excellence. “Prize money doesn’t even cover her flight ticket. I have been the top Indian women in my sport for 10 years. Currently, Top 200 in the world, and yet I have had zero sponsorships. No Federation support. No state support. No government support. No private sponsors.”

Riya Bhatia isn’t a newcomer trying to knock on the door. She turned pro in 2016 and has already won 3 ITF titles (in singles) and 4 ITF titles (in doubles). Currently, she is ranked 508 in the singles (career high: 338) and 183 in the doubles (career high: 180). She represented India at the 2017 Indoor Asian Games and then also at the 2018 Asian Games. Other than that, Bhatia has also been part of the Indian National Women’s tennis team in the BJK Cup for five years (2017-2022). So to spend a decade wearing the tricolor, only to feel invisible to every support system around you, is a weight no professional should carry.

Do you know that Bhatia is the only woman player who has won two national titles? Her contribution to Indian tennis has been immense. In September 2025, she produced one of the biggest wins in her career by defeating China’s Xinyu Gao in the opening round of the WTA 125 Jingshan Tennis Open. While sharing her thoughts about her incredible journey over these years during an interview in August 2025, she said that the best part of it is watching her game get stronger. She feels the consistent progress in her fitness and skill levels is a huge motivation. During that interview, she also spoke about how proud she is to represent her nation.

“Representing India is the highest honor, and I would absolutely love to be a part of the national team. My job is to stay strong, keep working hard, and keep performing at the highest level I can.” During that time, she also spoke about the immense support she has received from her parents and expressed her gratitude to her employer, Indian Oil. Her dream is to play in the Grand Slams. Can she do it?

Time will tell! But you know what? This wasn’t the first time she was seen seeking support from the government or major stakeholders. Even in 2021, the tennis star took to Twitter (now X) to ask then Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju for help to get her the necessary documents to travel. 

“Hello, sir Kiren Rijiju. I am currently ranked India No. 2 in singles women’s. I have a chance to represent India in WTA tournaments in the USA from 26th July. But I am unable to get an appointment for my US visa urgently. If you could kindly help me out.”

Although that time, her tweet drew the attention of the minister, now it’ll be interesting to see if someone lends her support after her recent complaints. But let me tell you, she isn’t the only Indian tennis player who has opened up on this topic. The list is much bigger…

Indian tennis players have time and again raised their voice on the lack of support

On the global tennis stage, the roar of ambition is unmistakable. Athletes from every corner of the world step onto immaculate courts with teams behind them – coaches, physios, data analysts, nutritionists, and sports psychologists. But walk behind the scenes with India’s tennis, and the contrast is jarring. Here, dreams are often carried in a single kit bag. And the battles fought off the court are just as intense as the ones fought on it. And Riya Bhatia isn’t alone in this fight!

In September 2023, India’s number one singles player, Sumit Nagal (highest rank: 68), opened up about his struggles, revealing that he has only about Rs 80,000 ($895) in his account. He spoke about how he had heavily invested in things like coaches, physios, and other training facilities to stay competitive on the extravagant ATP Tour. 

“I feel like I am lacking support despite being India’s number one player for the past few years. I am the only player to qualify for the Grand Slams, the only player to win a (tennis) match at the Olympics (Tokyo) in the last few years, and still, the government has not added my name to the TOPS. I felt when my ranking dropped after injury, no one wanted to help me; no one really believed that I could be back. That was disappointing because I feel whatever I do is not enough. It’s so hard to find financial support in India. To be honest, I do not know what to do. I have given up.”

Later on, Gatorade signed a three-year deal with the tennis star, and that was a moment of sigh of relief for Nagal. He has been part of the Indian Tennis contingent at the Tokyo Olympics. So, it was pretty sad to see him struggle like that. Before him, players like Yuki Bhamri (reached 2025 US Open doubles SF) and Rohan Bopanna (2024 AO doubles winner) also spoke about the same issue. In 2012, Bhamri made an impassioned plea for financial support to young Indian tennis players who are in the critical transitional stage of moving into senior ranks.

“I feel that the financial support is totally lacking for young tennis players in India…It is one of the biggest drawbacks that we have in this country. It is all about cricket that gets the support, and I hope that people will notice tennis players too.” 

Then, five years later, Rohan Bopanna highlighted the main reason behind the lack of singles players from India. “The main reason for the lack of singles players is the federation: we do not have support, when players decide to turning pro, and travel, they have no sponsor. The federation does not support us…” So these aren’t anything new. Indian tennis stars have been raising this issue for a long time now. What are your thoughts, though, on the same?