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French Open berths for Sharan, Liberhan

May 21, 2004 20:35 IST

Divij Sharan and Tushar Liberhan will lead India's [ Images ] challenge at the French Open [ Images ] and Wimbledon [ Images ] junior championships this summer.

Eighteen-year old Divij and Tushar, 16, are part of the five-member boys and girls' team, sponsored by the All India Tennis Association, which embarks on a six-week tour of Europe on Friday.

The team -- also comprising Rupesh Roy, Sanaa Bhambri and Tara Iyer and coached by Arun Kumar -- will play three Grade 1 and a Grade 4 events besides the two Grade A Grand Slams.

While Divij and Tushar, with a combined ITF ranking of 29 and 33 respectively, have a direct entry at the French Open in Paris, from May 29, the others have to go through the qualifying rounds.

Sixteen-year old Sanaa and Sania Mirza [ Images ] created a sensation last year by becoming the first Indian girls to reach the doubles semi-finals of a Grand Slam.

The players' first event would be a G1 event on clay court in Belgium from Monday. After competing at Roland Garros [ Images ], they will proceed to Germany [ Images ], where they will play in G1 and G4 events.

Another G1 grass court tournament in Roehampton, London [ Images ], then would serve as the tune-up for Wimbledon.

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