Why Maaya’s quarterfinal run at Chennai Open offers a glimpse of what’s ahead
· Sports · Indian Express, Sportstar
Seventeen-year-old Coimbatore girl Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi reached the quarter-finals of the Chennai Open 2026, ending a 15-year wait for an Indian woman to breach the last eight of a WTA Tour-level tournament, last achieved by Sania Mirza. Maaya leaped from world No. 669 to No. 489 in the live WTA rankings following her quarterfinal run, having overcome a 0-5 first-set deficit to claim the Lagos title last month. She upset Poland’s Weronika Falkowska in the Round of 16 to emulate Sania Mirza and Shikha Uberoi, the only other Indians to reach a WTA quarterfinal, before losing 3-6, 3-6 to top American Robin Montgomery in the last eight. The 17-year-old produced a series of deep groundstrokes in the quarterfinal, breaking Montgomery’s serve early before the American dominated the second set. Chennai Open 2026 marks the last edition of the WTA 250 event held in the city.
Why it matters
Maaya's quarterfinal run marks the first time since 2005 that an Indian woman has reached the last eight of a WTA Tour tournament, revitalising Indian women's tennis and providing a benchmark for future junior players transitioning to the senior circuit.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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