Vardhan-Sanam get wildcards for Chennai Open

Indian tennis players, including Vishnu Vardhan and Sanam Singh, have been granted wild card entries into the doubles draw of the Chennai Open, the organisers announced in Chennai.

While Vishnu will be joining hands with Sanam, Tamil Nadu duo of N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan will form a team for the $430,000 tournament to be held from December 31 to January 6.

Both Vishnu and Sanam had played singles matches for India against New Zealand in the Davis Cup. Vishnu had also played in the London Olympics with Paes in the men's doubles.

The 24-year-old Sanam is a gold medallist in the 2010 Asian Games.

Balaji-Nedunchezhiyan pair has improved their rankings substantially in 2012 and if they continue to perform well, the pair could break into the top 200 in 2013.

The organisers had earlier announced that the country's top doubles specialist players, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Rohan Bopanna will be participating in the season-opener.

With the inclusion of four more Indian players, the doubles section will see a strong contingent from the country battle for the title.

Bhupathi will be teaming up with World No.5 doubles player Canada's Daniel Nestor, while World No. 12 Bopanna will partner US-based Rajeev Ram, and World No. 3 Paes will take to the court with new partner Edouard Roger Vasselin of France.