London [UK], June 27 : Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has said that the doubles circuit remains open and unpredictable, adding that Indian players continue to have a strong chance of making an impact at Wimbledon 2026 as attention shifts to the next generation following Rohan Bopanna's gradual transition from the game.
The 2026 Wimbledon will be the 139th edition and is scheduled to take place from June 29 to July 12.
Speaking on JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026, JioStar expert Amritraj underlined that doubles tennis often produces unexpected results due to the pressure on seeded teams and the opportunities available for unseeded pairs.
"Yes, I mean, the doubles draw is always quite open. I think that our boys always have a good shot at the doubles. There can be some breaks in the draw, and seeds can drop out. Not that the seeds are far superior to the others anyway. I think the seeded teams in doubles have more pressure on them; the unseeded teams have less pressure on them. Our boys have always been pretty good in doubles, and it has to be seen how these guys perform towards the early stages of the match and, needless to say, in the closing stages of the match as well," the Indian tennis legend told reporters.
Highlighting India's recent focus on doubles success, Amritraj noted that while the country has produced strong doubles players, the broader challenge remains building depth in singles to compete in events like the Davis Cup.
"Obviously, as far as Indians are concerned, in the last decade or so, we've actually concentrated on doubles for whatever reason. And truly, at the end of the day, this game is about singles. In this game, we need four Davis Cup points in singles and one Davis Cup point in doubles. Yes, I do believe that these guys can have a shot at winning a Grand Slam. I think they all do, and it would be fantastic if someone followed in Rohan's footsteps in the doubles. And no question about it, but truly at the end of the day, we need four singles players for Davis Cup," he added.
For those unversed, Amritraj is widely credited for putting Indian tennis on the global map. He was a dominant force in Asian tennis for more than a decade and achieved a career-best singles ranking of World No. 16 in 1980.
Amritraj competed on the professional circuit from 1970 to 1993, winning 16 singles and 14 doubles titles. He remained the top-ranked player in Asia for 14 consecutive years, underlining his consistency and dominance in the region.
In a landmark recognition, Amritraj became the first Indian man to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2024.
During his career, he secured 16 ATP singles titles--an Asian record--and 13 doubles titles. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 1983 and the Padma Bhushan in 2026.
Catch Wimbledon 2026, from June 29 - July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.