TOPS should also support men's singles players: Bhupathi

Indian Davis Cup captain Mahesh Bhupathi Saturday rued that tennis had never got the kind of support that boxing or wrestling got from the government, urging them to include men's singles players in Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

Keeping the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in mind, the sports ministry has included the doubles duo of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, who won the Asian Games gold last year, have been kept in TOPS scheme.

"I know Rohan and Divij have been approved by TOPS but the singles boys need to get that support. That's the bottomline," Bhupathi told reporters after India's 1-3 defeat to Italy in the Davis Cup Qualifiers at Calcutta South Club.

"The government needs to step up and support tennis. I know they are supporting a lot of sports. They are supporting hockey, wrestling, boxing but tennis has not got that support yet," Bhupathi lamented.

"It's not easy for AITA to support them as they don't have a revenue source of money. I think the government have a lot of schemes .