Vaishnavi Adkar became the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2009 to reach a W100 singles final on Sunday at the ITF Women’s Open in Bengaluru. Although the 21-year-old wildcard fell 6-0, 6-1 to Belgium’s world No. 124 Hanne Vandewinkel, her historic surge through the bracket catapulted her into the WTA top 500 and cemented her status as the new face of Indian women's tennis.
The Pune-born athlete entered the tournament ranked a lowly No. 690 in the world, yet dismantled a string of established international opponents to reach the championship match. While Vandewinkel secured the $15,239 winner’s check and 100 WTA points, Adkar’s runner-up finish earned her 65 points and a career-defining leap in the global standings.
Adkar’s performance in Bengaluru serves as the exclamation point on a 2025 season that has already broken decades-old records. Earlier this year, she claimed a bronze medal at the Summer World University Games in Germany; India’s first women’s tennis medal at the event in 46 years.
This latest run has propelled her live ranking up by 224 places to World No. 466, marking her debut in the elite top 500. The jump also shifts the domestic hierarchy; Adkar is now India’s No. 2 ranked singles player, trailing only Sahaja Yamalpalli (No. 397).
Historical context: First Indian woman in a W100 final since Sania Mirza (2009).
Ranking surge: Jumped from No. 690 to approximately No. 466.
Prize earnings: Gained $8,147 and 65 WTA ranking points.
Key victories: Defeated world No. 126 Lanlana Tararudee and No. 148 Taylah Preston.
Born on December 14, 2004, in Pune, Vaishnavi Adkar began her tennis career at age seven. A former India No. 1 at the Under-14 level, she reached a career-high junior ranking of 115. Currently training under coach Kedar Shah at the Bounce Tennis Academy, she is mentored by Indian doubles legend and Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna.
Adkar’s route to the final was no fluke of the draw. She navigated a minefield of higher-ranked talent, consistently winning "marathon" matches that tested both her powerful backhand and mental fortitude. In the Round of 16, she stunned Japan’s Mai Hontama (No. 220) in a grueling three-set battle. She replicated that grit in the quarterfinals, taking down Australia’s Taylah Preston (No. 148) before sweeping aside Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee (No. 126) in straight sets.
It was a very solid week for me, especially after a tough year last year, a week like this is really going to be helpful. I already feel so much better about my game and it has helped a lot with self-belief.
Vaishnavi Adkar
Vandewinkel, the eventual champion, admitted she refused to take the Indian wildcard lightly despite the rankings gap. "I knew she beat some really good players," the Belgian noted. "I didn’t want to make the mistake of not being fully there because I saw she could play some really good tennis."
With her confidence at an all-time high and maturity growing under coach Kedar Shah, Adkar has already set her sights on her next milestone: a spot in the Indian Fed Cup team this April.
Having recovered from an early-season setback at the Mumbai Open, Adkar’s resilience on the ITF circuit has transformed her from a promising junior into a legitimate contender on the professional stage. If she maintains this trajectory, the "secret strategy" she credits for her success may soon become a major problem for the top tiers of the WTA tour.
