From ball boy to Asian Games medallist, Jay Meena scripts Indian first in soft tennis

India are breaking new ground in newer sports at these Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. After a creditable fourth-place finish by a couple of Indians in teqball, Jay Meena on Wednesday assured India of a first medal in soft tennis. It will be the country's first-ever medal in soft tennis at the multi-sport continental event.

The 26-year-old defeated Sherwin Nuguit of The Philippines 4-3 in a thrilling men's singles quarter-final to earn his spot in the last four. Singles semifinalists in soft tennis are assured a bronze.

Meena scripted a fine comeback against his Filipino opponent. After losing the first game 4-0, he won the next 4-2 and the back and forth continued for the next couple of games. Meena pulled off the crucial fifth game 5-3, but Nuguit came roaring back in the next game to make the contest a one-game shootoff.

The Indian held his nerve brilliantly in that, pulling off the game 7-5 to complete the 0-4, 4-2, 2-4, 4-2, 5-3, 2-5, 7-5 victory. In the semi-final, to be played later on Wednesday, the Indian will take on Japan's Takuya Kurosaka for a place in the gold medal match.

It's rather symbolic that India's piece of history in soft tennis would come in Japan, the land where soft tennis was invented back in the 1880s.

Like tennis, soft tennis is a racquet sport with a court size similar to a standard lawn tennis court. Where this sport differs, though, is in the balls and the scoring systems.

Like the name suggests, soft tennis uses lightweight rubber balls instead of standard tennis balls. The softness of the ball means there is greater scope for more variety in shots, and aspects like topspin and bounce come more into play. However, so do natural conditions like wind.

The scoring system is also unique. Instead of the 15-30-40 games in tennis, here it's a simpler 1-2-3 point system. The first to four points wins the game, but tighter games can go a bit longer. Matches are usually best of seven or nine games.

The sport has its roots in Asia but spread across Europe in the early 2000s. It, however, continues to be dominated by Asians, especially in countries like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand and The Philippines

And in that, India, through Meena, have now made a mark.

A resident of Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, Meena's interest as a kid, like most other kids in the country, lay in cricket. But when he came across soft tennis for the first time in his school in Dewas, he got intrigued.

A journey that began with him being a ball boy in school matches soon took shape. Progressing through district, state and national levels, he was competing in international events by the age of 14.

A gold medallist at the 2022 National Games and the 2025 national champion in singles, Meena won a mixed doubles bronze at the World Soft Tennis Championships in 2024 partnering Aadhya Tiwari. It was India's first medal in the world event.

Meena reached the quarter-finals at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago, and in 2025 scripted a regional first when he secured a singles bronze at the 2025 Asian Soft Tennis Championships.

A year on, Meena has scripted another first for his country at the Asian Games.