Zeeshan Ali steps down as India's Davis Cup Coach after 11 years
Zeeshan Ali, a prominent figure in Indian tennis, has announced his resignation as the coach of the Indian Davis Cup team. After an impressive 11-year tenure, Ali, who took over the reins from Nandan Bal in 2013, is stepping down just a month before India’s next Davis Cup tie against Sweden in Stockholm.
"I've been coach of the Davis Cup team for 11 years now. To top it all, I was also the captain of the Davis Cup, the historic tie that we played against Pakistan in Pakistan earlier on this year. I don't think there is any such person from any country who has had the privilege and honor of doing all these three things," said Ali (speaking to PTI).
Reflecting on his journey, the 54-year-old expressed pride in the milestones he achieved during his tenure. He not only served as the coach but also had the distinction of captaining the team against Pakistan. Ali’s role as coach and captain in such a crucial match is something that Ali said he will cherish:
"There have been players who were captains, but I don't think there has been a situation where the player was a coach and then the coach was also the captain of the team," Ali said.
"So having done all these three things, I felt that I have already achieved whatever there was to achieve as far as Davis Cup was concerned. And frankly speaking, I have been thinking about this for quite some time now," he added.
Under his leadership, India saw some remarkable successes, including their promotion to World Group I after a decisive 4-0 victory over Pakistan in Islamabad earlier this year. This achievement marked a high point in Ali’s career, capping off over a decade of dedication to the national team.
What's next for Indian tennis after Zeeshan Ali's resignation
With Zeeshan Ali stepping down, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) faces the challenge of finding a successor who can guide the team in their upcoming tie against Sweden on September 14-15.
The hard indoor courts of Stockholm will provide a stern test for the Indian team, and the absence of Ali’s experienced guidance will undoubtedly be felt.
Ali, for his part, is not stepping away from tennis entirely. His focus now shifts to the development of the National Tennis Centre (NTC) in New Delhi, an initiative aimed at nurturing grassroots talent in India.
"My whole focus is on NTC. You will be hearing about that also in the coming weeks as well; about the plans that the AITA has as far as the NTC is concerned,” Ali said.
The former junior World No. 2 and Wimbledon Juniors semi-finalist, who once reached a career-high ranking of 126th on the ATP Tour, is now committed to ensuring that the next generation of Indian tennis players has the support and resources needed to succeed on the global stage.