File photo of Dhakshineswar Suresh. (Image: SAI)

NEW DELHI: Rising tennis star Dhakshineswar Suresh has been included in the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) following his standout performance in India’s recent Davis Cup Qualifiers victory over the Netherlands in February.The decision was taken during the 169th meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which also approved financial assistance for Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal as part of preparations for major events such as the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the upcoming Davis Cup ties.

Dhakshineswar earned his TAGG inclusion on the back of a remarkable display during India’s Davis Cup clash against the Netherlands. The youngster played a decisive role in the tie, delivering one of the most memorable performances of his young career.The 25-year-old won both his singles matches against higher-ranked opponents — World No. 88 (Jesper de Jong) and World No. 162 (Guy Den Ouden) — before partnering Bhambri to clinch the crucial doubles match. His contributions helped India secure a historic victory that propelled the team into the Davis Cup second Qualifier round where they will face South Korea, from September 18 to 20, later this year. The MOC noted that Dhakshineswar’s performances underline his potential as a strong contributor for India in both singles and doubles formats. The young player has already registered six wins against top-200 ranked opponents, including a victory over a top-100 player.

His inclusion takes the number of tennis players supported under the Target Asian Games Group to 12. The TAGG programme, introduced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2025, is modelled on the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and aims to provide financial support to athletes with medal potential at the 2026 Asian Games.In the same meeting, the MOC also approved financial assistance packages for Bhambri (for Rs 28.89 lakh) and Nagal (for Rs 27.51 lakh) to support their international training and competition schedules in the lead-up to the Asian Games and upcoming Davis Cup commitments.