Vishal Uppal will captain India’s five-member squad for the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group-1 tournament, set to take place from April 7 at Pune’s Deccan Gymkhana.
India will compete against teams from Thailand, New Zealand, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, with the top two teams advancing to the playoffs and the bottom two facing relegation to Group 2.
The team, which has been selected based on rankings, recent performances, and player availability, includes Ankita Raina, Sahaja Yamalapalli, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, Vaidehi Chaudhari, and Prarthana Thombare.
Ankita Raina, India’s highest-ranked player at No.292 on the WTA tour, will be a key focus for the team, having participated in the qualifying rounds of all four Grand Slams, including the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon.
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) had replaced Uppal with Shalini Thakur as captain in March 2023, but after two years, they have decided to bring Uppal back for the upcoming tournament. Before the competition, a training camp will be held on April 2, where Rutuja Bhosale and Vaishnavi Adkar will also join the team.
India has also included 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran in the reserves. The young talent recently made waves by reaching the semi-finals of the Mumbai Open WTA 125 series and defeating higher-ranked players. Her performance helped her break into the top 650 of the WTA rankings, making her the youngest player to enter the top 700.
Radhika Kanitkar will serve as the coach for the Indian squad, supporting the team as they prepare to compete in this prestigious tournament.
