Together we fall, together we rise: At Chennai Open, Maaya and Vaishnavi lay down markers for Indian women’s tennis

The period between the second and third edition of India’s only Tour-level event comprises the career graphs, showing significant growth of two youngsters who may very well be the future of women’s tennis in India.

Updated : Nov 04, 2026 10:26 IST , Chennai - 5 MINS READ

When the time came for this year’s Chennai Open, both players, awarded main draw wild cards, were ready to make amends for last year but little did they know that they’ll do it one after the other. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu

From the ordinary defeats during the day to the special wins under the floodlights, Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and Vaishnavi Adkar have now experienced both the lowest of the lows and the highest of the highs at the WTA 250 Chennai Open in the last 12 months.

The period between the second and third edition of India’s only Tour-level event comprises the career graphs, showing significant growth of two youngsters who may very well be the future of women’s tennis in India.

At last year’s Chennai Open, Maaya and Vaishnavi both had made their Tour-level debuts. The then World No. 658 Maaya fell 1-6, 4-6 to fellow wild card Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, while World No. 697 Vaishnavi, a Lucky Loser, lost 1-6, 2-6 to Paris Olympics silver medallist Donna Vekic in the opening round. The defeats, albeit similar in nature, had different meanings for the two.

Up against Britain’s Jodie Burrage, Vaishnavi recorded her maiden Tour-level victory, showcasing great shot-making like a crunch forehand down-the-line winner. | Photo Credit: RAGU R

For Maaya, it was a sign that the imminent transition from the junior to the senior circuit will be way tougher than learning Spanish during her time at the Rafa Nadal Academy. For Vaishnavi, it meant that something had to change in the setup around her to get closer to top-tier women’s tennis.

Consequently, Maaya took part in nine women’s tournaments on the ITF circuit apart from continuing her junior career. In September, after the US Open, the 17-year-old left the Nadal Academy, run by the 22-time Major champion in Mallorca, and shifted base to Elite Tennis Centre in Cannes, France, where she trains under head coach Jean-René Lisnard. She bagged her maiden senior title at a W35 event in Lagos, Portugal. Playing sufficient number of matches to gain valuable experience, solving problems on the court and staying fit has transformed the Coimbatore girl into someone who doesn’t hold her shots back while striking a tennis ball.

For Pune-girl Vaishnavi, shifting to Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy in Bengaluru in January was the first step towards the change she had hoped for. Then came a dream run to the final of the W100 event in the Garden City followed by a W35 title in Kalaburagi without dropping a set. The self-belief grew and the shots flew. As World No. 344, the 21-year-old Vaishnavi is now the country’s top female player.

When the time came for this year’s Chennai Open, both players, awarded main draw wild cards, were ready to make amends for last year but little did they know that they’ll do it one after the other.

Maaya’s challenge was tougher. She had to face Polish World No. 115 Katarzyna Kawa but the teenager came out all guns blazing.  | Photo Credit: RAGU R

Up against Britain’s Jodie Burrage, Vaishnavi recorded her maiden Tour-level victory with a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 scoreline in two hours 46 minutes. With former World No. 85 Burrage serving for the match at 5-3 in the decider and the score being 30-all, the Indian produced a crunch forehand down-the-line winner before going on to break her 27-year-old opponent. Eventually, Vaishnavi sealed the deal.

“Especially after the year that I have been having, this win is the biggest so far, tournament-level wise. So, I am really happy about it because coming into this event, I somewhat had some pressure about the performance. I was really doubting myself and a lot of other things were going on but as the match progressed, I really hung in there and really gave it my all,” Vaishnavi told reporters after her match.

“I spoke to the coaches before going on the court and I was just saying whatever happens, I just want people to think that I am the biggest warrior out there. So, that is all that was going on in my mind.”

Maaya’s challenge was tougher. She had to face Polish World No. 115 Katarzyna Kawa but the teenager came out all guns blazing. Her level dropped in the second set and the middle part of the decider but even then, she did not try to play it safe, either with her serve or just by pushing the ball. A 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(5) victory — her first on the WTA Tour — including a sensational comeback after being down 2-5 in the third set was the reward for being fearless.

“There have been times where I have been less brave and I’ve regretted it. Today, I just stepped on the court and knew that whatever happens today, I’m not going to regret the way that I played. I think that paid off today. I was happy that I was going for those shots and at the end of the day, it was worth the risk,” explained the Indian after her win.

Published on Nov 04, 2026

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