On a humid Sunday in Kalaburagi that coincided with International Women’s Day, 21-year-old Vaishnavi Adkar cemented her status as the rising star of Indian tennis. By defeating veteran compatriot Ankita Raina 7-6(3), 6-4 in the final of the ITF W35 event, Adkar secured the biggest singles title of her young career.
The victory marks a "changing of the guard" moment, coming just two weeks after Adkar became the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2009 to reach the final of a W100 level tournament. With this win, the Pune-born athlete is projected to leap into the WTA Top 400 for the first time, reaching a career-high of world number 396.
The final was a grueling battle of nerves and physical endurance, lasting two hours and 14 minutes. In conditions described as "very tough" by both players, the match was a topsy-turvy affair defined by extreme pressure on the serve, resulting in a staggering 15 breaks of serve.
Adkar’s mental fortitude was tested early when she failed to serve out the first set at 6-5. However, she dominated the subsequent tiebreak to seize the momentum. In the second set, despite a spirited comeback from the 33-year-old Raina, Adkar showed "Sania-esque" aggression, breaking Raina to love in the final game to clinch the championship.
Since I was a kid, I have seen Ankita play at a high level. Competing with her and playing doubles with her is a very big thing. I knew that she doesn’t leave the match till the last point, so I just had to keep fighting at every point.
Vaishnavi Adkar
Adkar’s surge in 2026 follows a decision to move her training base from Pune to the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy in Bengaluru. Under the mentorship of Bopanna and coach Balachandran Manikkath, Adkar has transformed from a "hitter" into a more complete player.
Analysts have noted an improvement in Adkar's first-serve percentage and her natural, fearless ball-striking from the backhand wing. Her ability to consistently reach the semifinals or better in three of her last five tournaments suggests the consistency that has eluded Indian women's singles players may finally be taking root.
The rewards for Adkar’s "wildcard wonder weeks" extend beyond the rankings. Her performance has earned her a maiden call-up to India’s Billie Jean King Cup squad. She will join Ankita Raina and India No. 1 Sahaja Yamalapalli for the Asia-Oceania Group I tournament in New Delhi next month.
Wait: Her Bengaluru W100 final run ended a 17-year wait for an Indian woman at that level.
Jump: Projected to move from #690 to #396 in just one month.
Double: Adkar and Raina actually won the Kalaburagi doubles title as partners the day before their singles showdown.
India No. 2: Adkar is now firmly established as the second-highest ranked Indian woman on the WTA circuit.
While the tennis world draws parallels to Sania Mirza’s early career, coaches and officials emphasize that the next challenge is sustaining this level. To move into W50, W75, and WTA 125 categories, Adkar will need to maintain this "go-getter" attitude across a full season.
