Jay Meena etched his name in Indian sporting history at the Asian Games in Nagoya, becoming the country’s first-ever soft tennis medallist after advancing to the men’s singles semifinals.
Meena booked his place in the medal rounds with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit in a thrilling seven-game battle. The result came on his third Asian Games appearance, following an impressive 4-0 win over Pakistan’s Arain Hussain in the group stage.
Meena’s historic campaign came to an end in the semifinals after a 2-4 defeat, but his run had already secured India’s maiden Asian Games medal in soft tennis. He finished with a bronze, becoming the first Indian athlete to stand on the podium in the sport at the continental showpiece. The historic medal marks a significant milestone for Indian soft tennis and adds another podium finish to India’s campaign in Nagoya.