India’s Jay Meena made history on Wednesday by winning the country’s first-ever medal in soft tennis at the Asian Games.
Meena’s campaign came to an end in the men’s singles semi-final after he went down 2-4 to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka. Despite the defeat, the Indian secured a historic bronze medal for the country.
Dramatic Quarter-Final Comeback
Meena booked his place in the semi-finals after producing a stunning comeback against Sherwin Nuguit in the quarter-finals.
He was trailing 3-5 in the deciding game and was just two points away from defeat. However, Meena refused to give up and won the next four points to complete a remarkable 4-3 victory.
The win guaranteed India its first Asian Games medal in soft tennis and gave Meena a chance to compete for a place in the final.
From Cricket Dream To Soft Tennis
Meena’s journey in the sport started almost by accident.
As a youngster, his main ambition was to become a cricketer. After joining Pioneer Public School in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, he came across a soft tennis court at the school.
He initially watched other players before getting involved as a ball boy. His interest in the sport grew with time, and he eventually started playing himself.
What began as a casual introduction soon turned into a serious sporting career. Meena moved through school and district competitions before making his way to the state and national levels.
By the age of 14, he was already competing internationally in Japan, the birthplace of soft tennis.
National Champion And Asian Games Regular
Meena announced himself as one of India’s top soft tennis players with a gold medal in men’s singles at the 36th National Games in Gujarat in 2022.
He also played an important role in Madhya Pradesh’s medal-winning performances in the men’s team and doubles events.
He continued his progress by becoming the national men’s singles champion in 2025.
Meena had already made his mark at the Asian Games before his historic medal in 2026. At the Hangzhou Games in 2022, he reached the men’s singles quarter-finals and also represented India in the men’s team event.
This is his third Asian Games appearance, having previously competed at Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022.
Making History On The International Stage
Meena’s international success has gone beyond the Asian Games. In 2024, he teamed up with Aadhya Tiwari to win a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the World Soft Tennis Championships. It was India’s first-ever medal at the tournament.
He added another historic achievement at the 2025 Asian Soft Tennis Championships when he became the first Indian to win a medal at the continental event.
Meena reached the men’s singles semi-finals and secured bronze before going on to win four medals at the championships.
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