Vaishnavi Adkar ends 17-year Indian drought, reaches ITF W100 Bengaluru Final

Pune wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar has announced herself on the global tennis stage with a historic run to the final of the ITF W100 Bengaluru Open, becoming the first Indian woman to reach a W100 or higher singles final since Sania Mirza in 2009.

Ranked World No. 690 at the start of the week, the 21-year-old produced a giant-killing campaign, defeating Japan’s Mai Hontama, Australia’s Taylah Preston, and Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee to set up a title clash against Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium.

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Her performances have propelled her live ranking up by 224 places to around World No. 466, marking a major leap in her young career.

Adkar’s breakthrough run included a dramatic Round of 16 win over eighth seed Hontama, where she saved multiple match points to prevail 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(8). She then upset fourth seed Preston in a three-set quarterfinal before dismantling second seed Tararudee 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals in just 66 minutes.

1968 – Nirupama Vasant
2005–2009 – Sania Mirza
And then… silence.
For 17 years, no Indian woman reached a singles final at this level.
In 2026, at the Bengaluru Open (W100), Vaishnavi Adkar changes that.
This isn’t just a final.
It’s belief returning. #IndianTennis pic.twitter.com/8jxZRIuGw2

— Rohan Bopanna (@rohanbopanna) February 21, 2026

More about Vaishnavi Adkar’s journey

Born on December 14, 2004, in Pune, Adkar began playing tennis at the age of seven and has steadily risen through the ranks, previously achieving a career-high ITF junior ranking of No. 115. She was India’s No. 1 Under-14 player and clinched the Fenesta Women’s Nationals in 2025. That same year, she made history by winning bronze at the FISU World University Games, ending a 46-year wait for an Indian women’s tennis medal at the event.

Trained under coach Kedar Shah at the Bounce Tennis Academy and mentored by Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna, Adkar credited her composure and a “secret strategy” for her Bengaluru success. With free entry drawing strong local support, Adkar now has the chance to cap a dream week with a career-defining title on home soil.