India have nominated Rutuja Bhosale ahead of higher-ranked Karman Kaur Thandi in the women’s singles of the Asian Games tennis competition in Hangzhou, China.
“I had a bit of niggle since the US Open. I am fine now but I didn’t want to put a medal at stake for the country,” Karman told The Times of India.
“For me India comes first. I informed the team that I rather play women’s doubles and mixed as the load is lesser.”
Rutuja is ranked 335 while Karman is 228 on the WTA Tour.
In the women’s singles, China’s World No. 22 Qinwen Zheng is the top seed.
Ankita Raina, world ranked 184 and bronze medallist in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, is seeded third and placed in the bottom half of the draw which has World No. 31 Lin Zhu as the second seed.
In the doubles, Karman will pair with Rutuja while Ankita will partner Prarthana Thombare, the latter combination being the third seeds.
In men’s singles, Sumit Nagal is the fifth seed and drawn in the top quarter of the draw which has home country’s World No 60 Zhizhen Zhang as the top seed.
Japan's World No. 78 Yosuke Watanuki is the second seed, No. 98 and last edition's finalist Wu Yibing the third seed and South Korea's Soonwoo Kwon, ranked 112, the fourth seed.
Ramkumar Ramanathan is the other Indian entry since the team didn't have a second singles player after the government refused to clear Mukund Sasikumar's selection.
In the men’s doubles, World No. 7 Rohan Bopanna, who also won the gold in Indonesia with Divij Sharan, and Yuki Bhambri are the top seeds with compatriots Ramkumar and Saketh Myneni being the second.
In the mixed doubles, Bhambri will combine with Ankita as the top seeds and Bopanna with Rutuja as the second seeds.
All seeds have a bye in the first round.
For the first time at the Games, electronic line-call reviews will be in place, but the technology will be available in only two of the nine match courts.
