The highlights of the day were nothing less than India entering her name on the medals table. There was another piece of heartening news for the Indian fans. The pair of Leander Paes and Sania Mirza started their campaign in a wining style in their mixed doubles in the tennis event at the Commonwealth Games 2010.

In the mixed doubles, Leander and Sania showed what a force they can be when they are together. They downed Stacey Nykita Roheman and Alberton Richelieu of Saint Lucia. It proved to be roller coaster ride for India. India pocketed the one sided match 6-1, 6-0.


But before that, Rohan Bopanna and Rushmi Chakravarthi, also in tennis, won their respective singles matches in the first round of the men’s singles and women’s singles. These two looked to dominate their opponents right from the word go. They proved that right too by winning. The Indian fans have their eyes set on tennis. And for once, the Australian cricket tour has taken a backseat. All in all, tennis looks good for India. The crest of it should culminate in a medal.

Like Paes-Sania, Bopanna too won hands down. He defeated Uganda’s Rober Buyinza 6-1, 6-4. Rohan at no time feel troubles by the Ugandan. With enough of home support, Rohan rode on to success. Meanwhile, Rushmi Chakravarthi too did not let down her fans. She was almost a demolition machine personified. She wasted no time in beating Pinki Agnes Montlha of Lesotho. Her scoreline read the same as that of Paes-Sania – 6-0, 6-1.


Tennis has given a good start to India’s hopes in the Commonwealth Games 2010.


However, it was tennis again, in which India had to face defeat. The mixed doubles pair of Rohan Bopanna and Nirupama Sanjeev lost to mighty opponents Australia. But the comforting thing is that, they made each and every point count for the Aussies. The win was not at all easy for the Australians.

Paul Hanley and Anastasia Rodionova defeated Bopanna and Nirupama Sanjeev by a socreline of 3-6, 6-3, 3-6. The match was dramatically set up when the Indian came to win the second set. However, it should be said that, luck was not on their side this time around. One thing should be specially mentioned about Nirupama is that she has come out of retirement to play in the Games.

Bopanna’s and Nirupama’s challenge does not end here. Bopanna has advanced in the singles round and Nirupama is partnering Poojashree Venkatesh in the women’s doubles event too.

There is a long way to go as far as tennis is concerned. But, the medals table has opened for India. India won a silver and a bronze on the first day itself. In the weightlifting competition Soniya Chanu won a silver medal. To follow her was yet another Indian weightlifter Sandhya Rani Devi. She won a bronze in the women’s 48 kg category at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium – a clear highlight of the day!

The medal gold quite deservingly went to Nigeria’s Nwaokolo Nikem.