The Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship has announced a new ₹11 lakh Player Development Scholarship at the launch of its 31st edition in New Delhi, extending its financial support for Indian tennis talent beyond tournament prize money. The scholarship will be awarded to winners and runners-up across five singles categories — Men's, Women's, Under-18, Under-16, and Under-14 — and is intended to help players fund the practical costs of continued development.

How the Scholarship Is Structured

Under the new framework, winners in the Men's, Women's, Boys U-18, and Girls U-18 singles categories will each receive a scholarship of ₹1.05 lakh, while runners-up in the same categories will receive ₹60,000 each. In the Boys and Girls U-16 and U-14 singles categories, winners will receive ₹70,000 each and runners-up ₹40,000 each. The scholarship is over and above the tournament's existing prize pool of over ₹21.55 lakh, which also includes a kit allowance for junior players.

The scholarship funds can be directed towards professional coaching, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and tennis equipment — areas the organisers say directly accelerate a player's competitive progression.

What the Organisers Said

Ajay Shriram, Chairman and Senior Managing Director of DCM Shriram Ltd., said the initiative was designed to deepen the tournament's role in Indian tennis. 'The Fenesta Open has been closely associated with the growth of Indian tennis for many years. Our endeavour has always been to provide players with a strong national platform to compete and demonstrate their potential. With this additional scholarship, we are taking that commitment a step further by supporting players beyond the Championship and contributing to their continued development,' he said.

Vikram Shriram, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of DCM Shriram Ltd., added that sustained access to training infrastructure was as important as competitive opportunity. 'For a talented player, development does not end with a tournament. It requires continued access to good coaching, physical conditioning, physiotherapy and the right equipment. This scholarship has been designed with these practical requirements in mind,' he said.

Three Decades of DCM Shriram's Tennis Legacy

DCM Shriram Ltd.'s involvement in Indian tennis stretches back to 1992, when the company organised an open tennis championship for Delhi State. The National Hardcourt Tennis Championship has been held annually since 1998, and the Fenesta Open has grown into one of India's largest domestic tennis events, drawing competitors across senior and junior categories from across the country.

Notably, the tournament has served as an early competitive stage for several of India's most prominent players, including Rohan Bopanna, Somdev Devvarman, Yuki Bhambri, and Sania Mirza. This history lends weight to the new scholarship's ambition — identifying and supporting players at the stage where investment is most likely to produce returns.

Oversight and Organisation

The Fenesta Open is organised under the aegis of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA), with support from DCM Shriram Ltd. The championship provides a national competitive platform for players across senior and junior categories and has been held annually since its inception.

With the addition of the ₹11 lakh Player Development Scholarship, the total financial commitment at this year's edition rises to over ₹32.55 lakh, making the 31st edition the most financially supported in the tournament's history. How effectively the scholarship translates into measurable development outcomes will be closely watched by Indian tennis stakeholders in the seasons ahead.