Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player (Singles)

Tennis in India is not as popular as cricket. But Indian tennis has been enjoying a good run of late. No doubt, the athletes have been neglected for many years. But thanks to their constant efforts, tennis is already set to be a revolution in the near future. In this article, we will explore the players who have achieved positions in the top 100 ATP rankings in the category of men’s singles since its inception in 1973. So Let's take a look at the 'Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player'.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024

Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player

10. Jasjit Singh | 89

Jasjit Singh was the first Sikh player to represent the Indian Davis Cup team. Notably, India advanced to the final in his inaugural Davis Cup appearance. Furthermore, he finished second in the 1975 Australian Open and the 1969 US Open. Jasjit achieved the world ranking of 89 in the men’s singles category on June 3, 1974.

9. Yuki Bhambri | 83

Yuki Bhambri achieved the junior no. 1 ranking in February 2009. During the same year, he secured the Junior Australian Open Boys singles title, thus becoming the fourth Indian in history to achieve such a feat at a Grand Slam championship. In 2015, Bhambri achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division.

After that, Yuki qualified for the 2015 Australian Open, losing to Andy Murray in the first round. On April 16, 2018, Yuki reached his highest men’s singles ranking, attaining the 83rd position. In 2018, Yuki reached the third-round of the Indian Wells Masters and second round in the Miami Open, both was prestigious ATP Masters 1000 events.

8. Prajnesh Gunneswaran | 75

Prajnesh Gunneswaran turned professional towards the end of 2018. Entering the 2018 season ranked at 243, he consistently performed well, finishing the season with a career-best ranking of 104. On February 11, 2019, Prajnesh achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division for the first time in his career. Prajnesh attained his highest career ranking of 75 on April 22, 2019. His most notable accomplishment remains the winning of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Also Read: [Updated] Most weeks at no.1 in tennis (male)

7. Anand Amritraj | 74

Vijay Amritraj’s younger brother Anand Amritraj has a win-loss record of 195-170. Anand secured seven singles titles throughout his career. He also contributed to India’s 1987 Davis Cup team, which advanced to the final. On November 6, 1974, he attained his highest ranking in the men’s singles division, reaching the 74th position. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam was reaching the third round of the US Open in 1974.

6. Leander Paes | 73

Leander Paes has emerged victorious in 101 matches throughout his career. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam tournament occurred in 1997, when he advanced to the third round of the US Open. Moreover, his highest singles ranking was 73. He reached that position on October 24, 1998. Leander has clinched eight Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles and 10 in the mixed doubles category.

5. Sashi Menon | 71

Sashi Menon actively participated in over 700 matches from 1970 to 1984, 15 years of his career. With a career win percentage of 46.4%, he secured four singles titles. His highest ranking in the men’s singles division was 71, achieved on October 21, 1975. 

4. Sumit Nagal | 71 

The 4th Indian men’s singles player to enter the highest ranked Indian tennis player list is Sumit Nagal. He achieved this milestone on June 17, 2024, by finishing runner-up at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament. This performance moved him 6 spots up in the rankings. Nagal was ranked 77th last week. 

In 2024, Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open. He also won the men's singles title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany in June and the Chennai Open in February. Nagal has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and Heilbronn was his fourth title on clay.

Also Read: Sumit Nagal reaches highest ranking of his career ahead of Wimbledon 2024

3. Somdev Devvarman | 62

Somdev Devvarman did not attain any accolades in Grand Slam tournaments, but he secured a gold medal in the men’s singles event at both the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games. On July 25, 2011, Devvarman achieved his career-high ranking, reaching 62nd in the ATP Men’s Singles. Regarding his ATP titles, he attained two runner-up titles in the ATP World Tour 250 series.

2. Ramesh Krishnan | 23

Ramesh Krishnan emerged as a notable figure in the world of tennis during the era of Vijay Amritraj. With a career win-loss record of 319-285, Ramesh attained his highest individual ranking of 23 in the men’s singles category on January 28, 1985. His most notable performances at Grand Slam events include reaching the quarterfinals twice at the US Open and once at Wimbledon. Additionally, he was part of the Indian team that advanced to the Davis Cup final in 1987 and also secured eight ATP 250 series titles throughout his career.

1. Vijay Amritraj | 18

The leading figure in men’s singles tennis in India is Vijay Amritraj. Throughout his illustrious 23-year professional career, he achieved a win-loss record of 399-308. On July 7, 1980, he reached his career-high ranking of 18, a record that still stands as the highest ranked Indian tennis player in the men’s singles category. Furthermore, his notable Grand Slam performances include two quarter-final finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open.