Vaishnavi Adkar's Stunning ITF Final Run Lights Up Indian Women's Tennis
PUNE: Vaishnavi Adkar's dazzling journey to the final of the $100,000 ITF event in Bengaluru last week has injected a much-needed spark into the landscape of women's tennis in India. This remarkable achievement is being hailed as a potential turning point for the sport in the country.
Bopanna's Praise and Perspective
Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna, in an exclusive conversation, emphasized the significance of Adkar's performance. "What Vaishnavi has done this week is not accidental, I'll tell you that," Bopanna stated firmly. "Reaching a W100 final propels you into the realm of serious tennis. Lots of credit to her." The 21-year-old from Pune began training at Bopanna's academy earlier this year, a move that has clearly paid dividends.
Bopanna highlighted that it was her mental fortitude that truly stood out. "The most impressive part was not just the result, but how she was so composed in big moments. She competed, she problem-solved. That, I felt, was a good maturity in her," he observed. "In women's tennis, it has been a while. So it's about somebody having that belief as well. And I think that is what I see in Vaishnavi."
The Impact on Rankings and Future Prospects
Bopanna also contextualized the scale of Adkar's breakthrough. "When you have a week like this, it also moves you up 200 places in ranking and everything changes. In terms of scheduling as well. Earlier, she was looking at maybe W15 or W30 level events. Now you are looking at higher tournaments, W50, 75, even 100. And that is where discipline is needed." Indeed, following her exploits in Bengaluru, Adkar's ranking soared by 224 spots to a career-high 466, a testament to her rapid ascent.
Family Background and Early Coaching
Vaishnavi Adkar, whose younger sister Asmi is also a tennis player, started playing at the age of six. Her father, Nihar Adkar, who is in the construction business, shared the amusing origin story: "It was because we parents didn't want kids making noise at home. Tennis came from her mother Gauri, because she likes tennis. Gauri said if the kids are going to do something outside home, it should be tennis."
Kedar Shah, who coached Adkar from 2014 until she moved to RBTA in January, was not surprised by her recent success. "It was expected, it was coming, because she had been playing good tennis," Shah remarked. He recalled her progress: "The end of last year, she reached the $25k semis, before that she won the women's nationals in Delhi. Vaishnavi did very well in the World University Games, where she won bronze, becoming the second Indian to win a medal at the event. So, it was due."
Shah noted her standout trait even as a 12-year-old: "Her ability to hit the ball very hard from any place of the court, even when she was down in matches. That's something I continued with her. I did not stop her, knowing that she will mature and get physically stronger."
Recent Transition and Technical Refinement
Given the strong foundation laid by Shah, Adkar's transition to higher levels has accelerated in recent months. M Balachandran, who began working with her during the week of the WTA 125K event in Mumbai, expressed cautious optimism. "To be honest, we didn't expect her to be in the final of the next tournament. These things cannot be really predicted, but I'm also not surprised that she got there, especially after her second match against the Japanese Mai Hontama. That was a close one, after she won that, then every match was 50-50."
While Shah allowed her to retain her core strength, Balachandran focused on polishing the rough edges. "The biggest area of improvement is her choice of speed in closing out the points. Her choice of speed and shot has come a long way. Now she knows, 'I need to hit here at this speed, at this spin'. There's the clarity of how to close out the point based on her position, opponent's position, and that's a significant improvement," Balachandran explained.
The Road Ahead
As Vaishnavi Adkar celebrates her career-high ranking, Bopanna cautions that the real challenge begins now. The discipline required for consistently competing at higher-tier tournaments will be crucial. Her journey from a noisy home distraction to a beacon of hope for Indian women's tennis is a story of perseverance, talent, and strategic coaching. With continued support and hard work, Adkar's spark could very well ignite a new era for the sport in India.
