Asian Games | Myneni-Ramkumar combo weathers spirited challenge from Kwon-Hong

India's Ramkumar and Myneni stand at cusp of Asian Games gold after overcoming spirited South Korean team in semis. The pair have had success since 2022, with Ramkumar and Bopanna winning two ATP 250 titles and Saketh and Yuki Bhambri winning seven ATP Challengers. The Indians started aggressively and held serve well to win 6-1 in the opening set. The second set went to tie-breakers and super tie-breakers, with India confirming their place in the final with a 10-0 win. Myneni is looking forward to the challenge of winning gold after losing in the final in 2014.

Before the Asian Games, the last time the pair of Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan played together was in an ATP 500 event in Dubai last year when they came in as wildcards but were dumped in the opening round. Cut to 18 months later, they stand at the cusp of claiming an Asian Games gold medal.

The duo avoided a slip up to make the final here at the Hangzhou Olympic Tennis Centre on Thursday, overcoming a spirited South Korean team of Soonwoo Kwon and Seongchan Hong 6-1, 6(6)-7, (10)-(0).

In fact, since 2022, Ramkumar has had a successful pairing with Rohan Bopanna, winning two ATP 250 titles, while Saketh has teamed up with Yuki Bhambri and won seven ATP Challengers since April 2022. But when the pairing was announced for the men’s doubles at the Asian Games by the All Indian Tennis Association, Bopanna joined forces with Bhambri and Ramkumar and Saketh became a team once again.

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“You should ask this to the federation [on the pairing]. They pick the teams and the players. The men’s were supposed to be six players, then it became five. Even with the girls, it was supposed to be six and then it became four. Those are the questions you don’t have answers to. Whatever chance you get, you come here and compete,” said Myneni.

Myneni, though, he is happy to have a chance to add a gold medal to his tally after the loss in the final from 2014 Incheon and defend India’s men’s doubles gold from 2018.

“I am looking forward to the challenge [of playing another final]. I played nine years ago and hopefully, I will do one better. I am glad I am back here,” said Myneni.