Nagal had pulled out of the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden citing a back strain. He also had to pull out of the US Open men’s doubles competition last month due to the same injury.
Without a singles specialist, India lost 0-4 to Sweden on their home turf. The team, composed mainly of doubles players and debutants, failed to win a single set in the World Group I tie.
On Thursday, the AITA expressed its displeasure, claiming that Nagal, Yuki BhambriAnd Shashi Kumar Mukund National duty was refused.
Nagal was scheduled to play at the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open but withdrew citing his back problem.
“You tell me why a player should ask for money to play for the country. This is a big question. He had demanded an annual fee of $50,000 (around Rs 45 lakh) and said he would not play if he was not paid,” Dhupar told PTI.
India play only two matches per season in the World Group I, usually in February and September.
“Let the country decide if it is right or not. Again, it is the decision of the government and everybody. The players also get paid under TOPS. And it is not like they don’t get paid for playing Davis Cup. They get paid,” Dhupar insisted.
Dhupar was referring to the prize money that the AITA receives from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for participating in the Davis Cup, which is distributed among the team members.
AITA gets around Rs 30 lakh for a World Group I tie, 70 per cent of which is distributed among the participating players. The remaining 30 per cent is kept by the national federation for administrative expenses.
The prize money decreases for lower groups.
“No other player demanded additional money beyond their share of ITF prize money.”
A former Indian Davis Cup player confirmed that there have been instances in the past when leading players have asked for money to play Davis Cup and their demands have been accepted.
Nagal did not deny AITA’s claim. He defended his stance through a statement on social media.
“With regard to compensation, I would like to clarify that it is standard practice in professional sports that players are compensated for participating in competitions, even representing their country.”
“This is not a matter of personal gain. AITA and Davis Cup captains All these things are confidential and I don’t want to speculate on it.”
The AITA was unhappy that Nagal pulled out of the Davis Cup citing injury, but recovered in time for the Hangzhou Open. Two days after the AITA statement, Nagal withdrew from the ATP 250 tournament.
Nagal stressed the honour of representing his country.
“Withdrawing from Davis Cup was a difficult decision… however, after consulting with my medical team, it became clear that competing with the injury would not only jeopardise my health but would also adversely impact the team’s chances.”
“I believe it is better for the team and the country that a player is 100 per cent fit rather than risking an injury and causing disruption to the match. I had already informed AITA about my inability to participate.”
It was discovered that the Captain Rohit Rajpal Nagal’s proposal was placed before the AITA Executive Committee. After initial reluctance, the committee agreed to pay him but requested the captain to renegotiate the amount.
However, before any agreement could be reached, Nagal withdrew from the bout and the discussions ended without any progress.
During the match, Nagal criticised the AITA on social media, saying that many members of the team had gone there only to have fun.
He further justified his break.
“In professional sports, injury management is a complex science. Sometimes, just a few days of rest and targeted rehabilitation can make the difference between aggravating the injury and being fit to play again.”
Nagal reiterated his commitment to representing the country.
“I look forward to future opportunities to wear the national flag and make my country proud both on and off the court.”
Nagal had also not participated in the match against Pakistan earlier this year, saying that the grass court surface does not suit his playing style while the hard court suits his playing style.
Captain Rajpal has faced criticism on social media, with many questioning his suitability as Davis Cup captain.
Rajpal was appointed captain in 2019 Mahesh BhupathiWho were hesitant to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns.
A team official said it was acceptable to receive payment like cricketers, but tennis players must also be willing to go through the selection process.
“They want contracts, but do they play at the national level? Do they get into the national team through selection trials like shooters and badminton players? Tennis players are paid through Davis Cup prize money and they are also funded by the government through TOPS,” he said.
