Divij Sharan


Divij Sharan is an Indian professional tennis player. He specialises in doubles and competes on the ATP World Tour. He has won 5 ATP World Tour titles in men's doubles and represents India in the Davis Cup. He won a gold medal in the men's doubles at the 2018 Asian Games.

Personal and early life

Sharan was born in New Delhi. He began playing tennis at the age of seven at a local tennis academy. His favorite surfaces are grass and hard courts. His overall favorite shot is the volley. His idols growing up were Roger Federer, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.. He married British tennis player Samantha Murray in July 2019.

Junior career

Sharan's best junior world doubles ranking was No. 5 in 2003. His best result in Grand Slam junior championships was his semifinal appearance at the 2004 French Open where he partnered with compatriot Tushar Liberhan.

Professional career

Early years

Sharan turned pro in 2004. He found limited success in singles and developed as doubles specialist. He won his first Futures doubles title 3 years later, in 2007. He reached his first doubles ATP Challenger finals in 2010 at the Kyoto Challenger in Japan. He won his first doubles ATP Challenger title in September 2011 at the Ningbo Challenger in China. He continued to find success in doubles at both ITF and Challenger events. By the end of 2011, he had won 16 ITF titles and 1 ATP Challenger title.

2012: Breakthrough

2012 proved to be a breakthrough year for Sharan on the ATP Challenger Tour. He reached 8 ATP Challenger doubles finals and won 2 titles in the year. Sharan won the Busan Challenger with Yuki Bhambri and the Bangkok Challenger with Vishnu Vardhan. In September, Sharan made his Davis Cup debut against New Zealand. With his good run he entered into list of top 100 ranked doubles players and later finished the year close to top 100 doubles ranking at 107.

2013: First ATP World Tour title

Sharan continued to impress at Challenger events. He reached 5 finals and won a title at the Kyoto Challenger. This was his first title with his most successful partner Purav Raja. The pair played together throughout the year and they found their biggest success by winning their first ATP World Tour title at the 2013 Claro Open in Bogota, Colombia. They defeated the second-seeded French-Dutch combination of Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Igor Sijsling in the final.
Sharan entered the qualifying draw at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships with Raja, with the pair successfully qualifying for the main draw. They lost in the first round to Nicholas Monroe and Simon Stadler. This was the first match at a Grand Slam event for both Raja and Sharan. At the 2013 US Open, Sharan partnered with Lu Yen-hsun from Chinese Taipei. The pair reached the third round where they lost to Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer.
As a result of this good run, Sharan finished the year inside the top 100 doubles rankings for the first time at 71.

2014: Asian Games medal

Sharan reached 4 Challenger finals and won 2 titles in the year 2014. He won the Kyoto Challenger with Purav Raja and the Shanghai Challenger with Yuki Bhambri. His best result at an ATP World Tour event was a semifinal appearance at the 2014 Claro Open where he had partnered with Canadian player Adil Shamasdin.
At the 2014 Asian Games, Sharan won a bronze medal for India with Yuki Bhambri.

2015

The year 2015 was not so successful for Sharan. He played with many different partners and reached 4 Challenger finals, winning 2 of them. He won the Guzzini Challenger with British partner Ken Skupski and the Izmir Challenger with compatriot Saketh Myneni. He played only a singles match at ATP World Tour level and lost it. He finished the year ranked 134 as a doubles player.

2016

Sharan made an excellent comeback in 2016. He partnered with Purav Raja and reached 6 ATP Challenger finals, winning 4 of them. They won the Manchester Trophy Challenger, Aegon Surbiton Trophy, Open Castilla y León and Pune Challenger. The pair also won their second ATP World Tour title at the Los Cabos Open in Mexico. They defeated the pair of Jonathan Erlich and Ken Skupski in the final. Sharan finished the year with doubles ranking of 63.

2017: Entry into the top 50

Sharan started the new season on strong note. He reached his third ATP World Tour final at the 2017 Chennai Open partnering with Purav Raja. In an all Indian final, they lost to the team of Rohan Bopanna and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan. He then reached his fourth ATP World Tour final and won his third ATP title in Belgium at the European Open with his new partner Scott Lipsky. They defeated the pair of Santiago González and Julio Peralta in the final.
Sharan had good run on the Challenger Tour as well. He reached four finals winning two of it. He won titles in Bordeaux with Purav Raja and Bangaluru with Mikhail Elgin. On the back of good results, Sharan entered the top-50 on 27 November 2017 and has been holding a spot inside the top-50 since then.

2018: Asian Games gold medal, first Grand Slam quarter final

Sharan started year with Maharashtra Open where he paired with compatriot Yuki Bhambri. The pair reached to the semis but lost to French pair of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Gilles Simon. At Australian Open, he reached third round thus making his best performance at the event.
He won hist first Challenger title of the season at Canberra Challenger. He continued with few more Challenger tournaments till April but later moved his focus entirely on ATP world tour.
At Wimbledon Championships, Sharan reached his first Gland Slam quarter-finals. He partnered with Artem Sitak from New Zealand. They lost to eventual champions Mike Bryan and Jack Sock.
Sharan finished another year inside the top 50 with doubles ranking of 39.

2019

Sharan began the year teaming up with his compatriot Rohan Bopanna. The new pairing started off with a bang by capturing the Pune open doubles title in front of the home crowd. This was Sharan's 4th title on ATP tour. Following this result the pair lost a few close matches and they mutually decided to end their partnership citing their low combined ranking as the primary reason behind the split. Divij then teamed up with the Brazilian doubles specialist Marcelo Demolinor and reached the doubles final in the Bavarian open. Following this he reached the round of 16 in Wimbledon. Divij won his 5th title in ATP tour teaming up with Igor Zelenay in St Petersburg, Russia to win his second title of the year.

ATP career finals

Doubles: 7 (5 titles, 2 runners-up)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1–02013 Claro Open Colombia – Doubles|Colombia Open, Colombia250 SeriesHard Purav Raja Édouard Roger-Vasselin
Igor Sijsling		7–6, 7–6
Win2–02016 Los Cabos Open – Doubles|Los Cabos Open, Mexico250 SeriesHard Purav Raja Jonathan Erlich
Ken Skupski		7–6, 7–6
Loss2–12017 Aircel Chennai Open – Doubles|Chennai Open, India250 SeriesHard Purav Raja Rohan Bopanna
Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan		3–6, 4–6
Win3–12017 European Open – Doubles|European Open, Belgium250 SeriesHard Scott Lipsky Santiago González
Julio Peralta		6–4, 2–6,
Win4–12019 Maharashtra Open – Doubles|Maharashtra Open, India250 SeriesHard Rohan Bopanna Luke Bambridge
Jonny O'Mara		6–3, 6–4
Loss4–22019 BMW Open – Doubles|Bavarian Championships, Germany250 SeriesClay Marcelo Demoliner Frederik Nielsen
Tim Pütz		4–6, 2–6
Win5–22019 St. Petersburg Open – Doubles|St. Petersburg Open, Russia250 SeriesHard Igor Zelenay Matteo Berrettini
Simone Bolelli		6–3, 3–6,

Challenger and Futures finals

Singles: 3 (0–3)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Pakistan F2, LahoreFuturesGrass Aqeel Khan6–4, 3–6, 4–6
Loss0–2Nigeria F4, LagosFuturesHard Kamil Čapkovič4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Loss0–3India F7, DelhiFuturesHard Patrik Rosenholm4–6, 4–6

Doubles: 66 (35–31)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Romania F11, Târgu MureșFuturesClay Bogdan-Victor Leonte Adrian Cruciat
Victor Ioniță		4–6, 4–6
Win1–1Nigeria F1, Benin CityFuturesHard Navdeep Singh Guillermo Hormazábal
Hans Podlipnik Castillo		6–1, 6–3
Win2–1Nigeria F2, Benin CityFuturesHard Navdeep SinghBogdan-Victor Leonte
Jurgens Strydom		6–4, 6–4
Loss2–2Kuwait F2, MishrefFuturesHard Navdeep Singh Thomas Oger
Nicolas Tourte		3–6, 2–6
Loss2–3India F4, GurgaonFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Lee Hsin-han
Wang Yu jr.		6–7, 4–6
Win3–3India F6, ChennaiFuturesClay Vishnu Vardhan Ashutosh Singh
Sunil Kumar Sipaeya		6–3, 4–6,
Loss3–4India F7, New DelhiFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Ashutosh Singh
Sunil Kumar Sipaeya		2–6, 2–6
Win4–4Nigeria F3, LagosFuturesHard Rohan Gajjar Pavel Chekhov
Pavel Katliarov		7–6, 6–7,
Win5–4India F1, ChandigarhFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Mithun Murali
Vijay Sundar Prashanth		4–6, 7–5,
Win6–4India F4, New DelhiFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Tushar Liberhan
Vishal Punna		6–1, 6–3
Win7–4India F5, New DelhiFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Rohan Gajjar
Purav Raja		6–1, 7–5
Win8–4India F6, New DelhiFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Vivek Shokeen
Ashutosh Singh		6–3, 6–4
Loss8–5India F10, KolkataFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Rohan Gajjar
Purav Raja		4–6, 5–7
Win9–5India F11, PuneFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Rohan Gajjar
Purav Raja		7–5, 6–3
Loss0–12010 Shimadzu All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships – Doubles|Kyoto, JapanChallengerCarpet Vishnu Vardhan Martin Fischer
Philipp Oswald		1–6, 2–6
Loss9–6India F1, KolkataFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Vivek Shokeen
Ashutosh Singh		3–6, 2–6
Win10–6India F3, VijayawadaFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Sriram Balaji
Vignesh Peranamallur		2–6, 6–3,
Win11–6Great Britain F8, ManchesterFuturesGrass Vishnu Vardhan Barry King
Ashwin Kumar		6–2, 7–5
Loss11–7Great Britain F9, IlkleyFuturesGrass Vishnu Vardhan Andrew Fitzpatrick
Josh Goodall		6–3, 5–7,
Win12–7Great Britain F11, ChiswickFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan James Chaudry
George Coupland		6–2, 6–2
Loss0–22010 Karshi Challenger – Doubles|Karshi, UzbekistanChallengerHard Vishnu Vardhan Gong Maoxin
Li Zhe		3–6, 1–6
Loss12–8Spain F35, MartosFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Agustín Boje-Ordóñez
Pablo Martín-Adalia		6–3, 6–7,
Loss12–9Cambodia F1, Phnom PenhFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Danai Udomchoke
Kittipong Wachiramanowong		4–6, 4–6
Win13–9Australia F2, BerriFuturesGrass Vishnu Vardhan Chris Letcher
Brendan Moore		4–6, 6–3,
Win14–9India F1, MumbaiFuturesHard Purav Raja Gero Kretschmer
Alexander Satschko		7–6, 7–6
Win15–9India F2, KolkataFuturesClay Vishnu Vardhan Sriram Balaji
Ashutosh Singh		7–6, 7–6
Win16–9India F3, ChandigarhFuturesHard Vishnu Vardhan Lee Hsin-han
Bumpei Sato		6–4, 4–6,
Win17–9India F7, DelhiFuturesHard Rohan Gajjar Takuto Niki
Vitali Reshetnikov		6–2, 7–6
Win18–9France F11, Bourg-en-BresseFuturesClay Laurent Rochette Alexandre Folie
Florian Reynet		7–6, 6–0
Win19–9France F12, Saint-GervaisFuturesClay Antal van der Duim Simon Cauvard
Baptiste Dupuy		6–3, 6–2
Win1–22011 Ningbo Challenger – Men's Doubles|Ningbo, ChinaChallengerHard Karan Rastogi Jan Hernych
Jürgen Zopp		3–6, 7–6,
Loss1–32011 Samsung Securities Cup – Men's Doubles|Seoul, South KoreaChallengerHard Purav Raja Sanchai Ratiwatana
Sonchat Ratiwatana		4–6, 6–7
Loss1–42012 McDonald's Burnie International – Men's Doubles|Burnie, AustraliaChallengerHard Vishnu Vardhan John Peers
John-Patrick Smith		2–6, 4–6
Win2–42012 Busan Open Challenger Tennis – Doubles |Busan, South KoreaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Hsieh Cheng-peng
Lee Hsin-han		1–6, 6–1,
Loss2–52012 Penza Cup – Doubles|Penza, RussiaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Konstantin Kravchuk
Nikolaus Moser		7–6, 3–6,
Loss2–62012 Beijing International Challenger – Men's Doubles|Beijing, ChinaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Sanchai Ratiwatana
Sonchat Ratiwatana		6–7, 6–2,
Loss2–72012 Samarkand Challenger – Doubles|Samarkand, UzbekistanChallengerClay Vishnu Vardhan Oleksandr Nedovyesov
Ivan Sergeyev		4–6, 6–7
Win3–72012 Chang-Sat Bangkok Open – Doubles|Bangkok, ThailandChallengerHard Vishnu Vardhan Lee Hsin-han
Peng Hsien-yin		6–3, 6–4
Loss3–82012 Shanghai Challenger – Doubles|Shanghai, ChinaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Sanchai Ratiwatana
Sonchat Ratiwatana		4–6, 4–6
Loss3–92012 Aegon Pro-Series Loughborough – Men's Doubles|Loughborough, Great BritainChallengerHard Purav Raja James Cerretani
Adil Shamasdin		4–6, 5–7
Win4–92013 All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships – Doubles|Kyoto, JapanChallengerCarpet Purav Raja Chris Guccione
Matt Reid		6–4, 7–5
Loss4–102013 Torneo Internacional AGT – Doubles|León, MexicoChallengerHard Purav Raja Chris Guccione
Matt Reid		3–6, 5–7
Loss4–112013 Soweto Open – Men's Doubles|Johannesburg, South AfricaChallengerHard Purav Raja Prakash Amritraj
Rajeev Ram		6–7, 6–7
Loss4–122013 Aegon Nottingham Challenge – Men's Doubles|Nottingham, Great BritainChallengerGrass Purav Raja Sanchai Ratiwatana
Sonchat Ratiwatana		7–6, 6–7,
Loss4–132013 Tashkent Challenger – Doubles|Tashkent, UzbekistanChallengerHard Purav Raja Mikhail Elgin
Teymuraz Gabashvili		4–6, 4–6
Loss4–142014 State Bank of India ATP Challenger Tour – Doubles|Kolkata, IndiaChallengerHard Vishnu Vardhan Saketh Myneni
Sanam Singh		3–6, 6–3,
Win5–142014 All Japan Indoor Tennis Championships – Doubles|Kyoto, JapanChallengerCarpet Purav Raja Sanchai Ratiwatana
Michael Venus		5–7, 7–6,
Win6–142014 Shanghai Challenger – Doubles|Shanghai, ChinaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Somdev Devvarman
Sanam Singh		7–6, 6–7,
Loss6–152014 Indore Open ATP Challenger – Doubles|Indore, IndiaChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Adrián Menéndez Maceiras
Aleksandr Nedovyesov		6–2, 4–6,
Loss6–162015 Gemdale ATP Challenger China International Shenzhen – Doubles|Shenzhen, ChinaChallengerHard Saketh Myneni Gero Kretschmer
Alexander Satschko		1–6, 6–3,
Loss6–172015 Sarasota Open – Doubles|Sarasota, USAChallengerClay Chung Hyeon Facundo Argüello
Facundo Bagnis		6–3, 2–6,
Win7–172015 Guzzini Challenger – Doubles|Recanati, ItalyChallengerHard Ken Skupski Ilija Bozoljac
Flavio Cipolla		4–6, 7–6,
Win8–172015 Türk Telecom İzmir Cup – Doubles|Izmir, TurkeyChallengerHard Saketh Myneni Malek Jaziri
Denys Molchanov		7–6, 4–6, ret.
Loss8–182015 KPIT MSLTA Challenger – Doubles|Pune, IndiaChallengerHard Maximilian Neuchrist Gerard Granollers
Adrián Menéndez Maceiras		6–1, 3–6,
Loss8–192016 Savannah Challenger – Doubles|Savannah, USAChallengerClay Purav Raja Brian Baker
Ryan Harrison		7–5, 6–7,
Win9–192016 Aegon Manchester Trophy – Doubles|Manchester, Great BritainChallengerGrass Purav Raja Ken Skupski
Neal Skupski		6–3, 3–6,
Win10–192016 Aegon Surbiton Trophy – Men's Doubles|Surbiton, Great BritainChallengerGrass Purav Raja Ken Skupski
Neal Skupski		6–4, 7–6
Win11–192016 Open Castilla y León – Men's Doubles|Segovia, SpainChallengerHard Purav Raja Quino Muñoz
Akira Santillan		6–3, 4–6,
Win12–192016 KPIT MSLTA Challenger – Doubles|Pune, IndiaChallengerHard Purav Raja Luca Margaroli
Hugo Nys		3–6, 6–3,
Loss12–202016 Slovak Open – Men's Doubles|Bratislava, SlovakiaChallengerHard Purav Raja Ken Skupski
Neal Skupski		6–4, 3–6,
Win13–202017 BNP Paribas Primrose Bordeaux – Doubles|Bordeaux, FranceChallengerClay Purav Raja Santiago González
Artem Sitak		6–4, 6–4
Loss13–212017 Tashkent Challenger – Doubles|Tashkent, UzbekistanChallengerHard Yuki Bhambri Hans Podlipnik Castillo
Andrei Vasilevski		4–6, 2–6
Loss13–222017 Brest Challenger – Doubles|Brest, FranceChallengerHard Scott Clayton Sander Arends
Antonio Šančić		4–6, 5–7
Win14–222017 Bengaluru Open – Doubles|Bangalore, IndiaChallengerHard Mikhail Elgin Ivan Sabanov
Matej Sabanov		6–3, 6–0
Win15–222018 Canberra Challenger – Doubles|Canberra, AustraliaChallengerHard Jonathan Erlich Hans Podlipnik Castillo
Andrei Vasilevski		7–6, 6–2
Win16–222019 Jinan International Open – Men's Doubles|Jinan, ChinaChallengerHard Matthew Ebden Nam Ji-sung
Song Min-kyu		7–6, 5–7,

Doubles performance timeline

''Updated through the 2019 Wimbledon Championships.
Tournament2013201420152016201720182019SRW–L
Australian OpenA1RAA1R3R1R0/42–4
French OpenA1RAA3R2R2R0/44–4
Wimbledon1R1RAA2RQF3R0/56–5
US Open3RAAA1R2R0/33–3
Win–Loss2–20–30–00–03–47–43–30/1615–16