Sania Mirza and Bhupathi take charge to save Indian tennis.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza have been elected to the Executive Committee of the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

The two Indian tennis legends secured their seats in the 15-member committee after first winning election as Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) representatives to the AITA General Body.

Bhupathi polled 23 votes, the highest among all candidates in the Executive Committee election.

Sania Mirza received 18 votes.

Earlier, in the General Body elections, Bhupathi had secured 19 votes and Sania had 18.

Ashutosh Singh and Shalini Thakur Chawla were the other two candidates elected as SOM representatives.

The AITA Constitution, amended in line with the National Sports Governance Act in July 2026, provides for four SOM representatives in the General Body (two male, two female) and two in the Executive Committee (one male, one female).

Bhupathi and Sania are now the two SOM members in the EC.

Because they hold these SOM seats, they cannot contest elections for other office-bearer posts such as president, general secretary, or treasurer.

Their inclusion marks a significant step toward greater representation of former athletes in the administration of Indian tennis.

Speaking after her election, Sania said the objective was to use their experience as professional athletes to understand what players need.

"I think that we are just trying to use our experience to try and understand what the players need more," Sania told ANI.

"I think that it's too early to answer the question exactly what, because there are still a lot of things to be put into place with the president, vice president, EC. There are many things still to be done."

She added: "Our vision and our goal are one, which is to try and make Indian tennis better. And I think all of us come together here with that vision."

Sania stressed the importance of building a comprehensive support system for upcoming players.

This includes quality coaching, tournament exposure, guidance, fitness support, and access to physiotherapy.

"There are many things that go into making of a tennis player," she noted.

Bhupathi brings 12 Grand Slam titles to the role.

Sania, a former world No. 1 in doubles, has six Grand Slam victories.

The duo's international success gives them direct insight into what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Their election comes at a time when Indian sports federations are undergoing governance reforms aimed at giving accomplished sportspersons a greater say in how national bodies function.

However, uncertainty remains around the broader legal landscape.

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear a request from administrator Justice (retd.)

Gita Mittal to implead the AITA Trust and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) for corruption.

The court is also set to hear a contempt petition filed against AITA's interim office-bearers for what the petition describes as "active obstruction and suppression of information" from the administrator.