Overview
Ankita Raina is an Indian professional tennis player from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She is among the most prominent women's tennis players from India in the post-Sania Mirza generation, and has represented the country at multilateral events including the Asian Games, the Olympic Games, and the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly the Fed Cup). She has primarily played on the ITF Women's Circuit and the WTA Tour, with her stronger results coming in doubles.
Key facts
| Full name | Ankita Raina |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 January 1993 |
| Birthplace | Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Sport | Tennis |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Turned professional | 2009 |
Background
Raina was born in Ahmedabad and trained in India during her formative years before progressing through the junior and ITF circuits. She emerged as one of the leading singles players in India during the 2010s, eventually taking over the role of the country's top-ranked woman in singles after the gradual transition of Sania Mirza into a doubles specialist.
Career
Singles
Raina built her singles record largely on the ITF Women's Circuit, winning multiple titles at that level. She broke into the top 200 of the WTA singles rankings, becoming one of the few Indian women to reach that bracket. She has been a regular feature in the singles draws of Indian-hosted WTA and ITF events.
Doubles
In doubles, Raina has achieved her highest professional rankings and most consistent results, partnering a range of Indian and international players on the ITF and WTA tours. She has reached WTA-level finals in doubles and has accumulated several ITF doubles titles.
Grand Slam appearances
Raina has competed in the main draws of Grand Slam tournaments in doubles, including the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, becoming one of the few Indian women to feature regularly in Grand Slam women's doubles draws.
Representing India
Asian Games
At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Raina won a bronze medal in women's singles, becoming one of the few Indian women to win an individual tennis medal at the Asian Games.
Olympic Games
Raina represented India at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021), competing in the women's doubles event partnering Sania Mirza. This was her debut at the Olympics.
Billie Jean King Cup / Fed Cup
Raina has been a long-standing member of the Indian Fed Cup / Billie Jean King Cup team, contributing to India's campaigns in the Asia/Oceania zone and helping the team reach the play-offs for the World Group.
Recognition
Raina has been recognised by the All India Tennis Association and the Government of India for her contributions to Indian tennis. She was conferred the Arjuna Award for tennis, the national sports honour given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for outstanding performance in sport.
Significance
Raina's career is significant in the context of Indian women's tennis because she sustained competitive singles results at a time when Indian women's tennis lacked depth at the WTA level. Her Asian Games singles bronze, top-200 singles ranking, and Grand Slam doubles main-draw appearances make her a key transitional figure between the Sania Mirza era and a younger generation of Indian women players.
Related topics
- Tennis in India
- Sania Mirza
- All India Tennis Association
- India at the 2018 Asian Games
- India at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Billie Jean King Cup
- Arjuna Award
References
- Wikidata entry: Q4766073
- Women's Tennis Association (WTA) player profile
- International Tennis Federation (ITF) player profile
- All India Tennis Association records