Making history as Bhutan’s first tennis player to earn an ITF world ranking, Pema Norbu aims for the ITF Top 100 with strong performances in international tournaments.
Bhutanese tennis player Pema Norbu has made history by becoming Bhutan’s first-ever player to earn an International Tennis Federation (ITF) world ranking. After his international debut at the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour MT100 tournament in Assam in August 2025, Norbu reached the singles final and doubles semifinals, earning an initial ranking of 120 in the 35-plus age category. Continuing his strong performance at the MT200 tournament in Jharkhand, he again reached the singles final and was the doubles runner-up, boosting his ranking to 662 in the 30-plus category.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for Bhutan, putting the country on the global tennis map for the first time. Pema Norbu plans to break into the ITF Top 100 next year by competing in higher-tier international tournaments in Thailand and Japan. He emphasized the importance of fitness,match experience, and adapting to different conditions as keys to his continued success.
The Bhutan Tennis Federation believes that Norbu’s success will inspire a new generation of players and highlight the need for better ffacilities, coaching, and sponsorship in the country. This historic ranking is seen as a promising start for the growth of tennis in Bhutan.
Speaking about his progress, Pema expressed his ambition to break into the ITF Top 100 by next year. To achieve this, he plans to compete in more high-level tournaments, including the MT400 in Thailand later this month, followed by the MT700 in Japan next month. He said, “My preparation focuses on improving both fitness and match experience. I am training consistently, working on recovery, and learning from every tournament. Competing abroad also teaches me to adapt to different conditions and opponents, which is crucial at this level.”
— Pema Norbu, in an interview with BBS News.
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