Who Is Vaishnavi Adkar? Pune Tennis Star Become India’s No.2

The new face of Indian tennis is Vaishnavi Adkar, the 21-year-old Pune player who left everyone in awe with her incredible show at the ITF Women’s W100 tournament in Bengaluru. Her performance not only saw her finish as a runner-up but also helped her reach the No.2 position in Indian women’s singles rankings.

Vaishnavi Adkar’s Breakthrough at ITF W100 Bengaluru

Playing in the elite ITF Women’s W100 Open Bengaluru tournament, Vaishnavi Adkar started as a wildcard with a world ranking of No.690. Little did anyone expect what was to come next.

She made a dream run to reach her first-ever W100 final, marking the first time an Indian woman has reached this feat after Sania Mirza in 2009. Although she finished as a runner-up, her achievement has been widely recognized as a turning point in Indian women’s singles tennis.

Massive WTA Ranking Jump: India’s New No.2

As a result of her great performance at Bengaluru, Vaishnavi Adkar has:

– Climbed 224 spots in the WTA rankings.
– Jointly set her career-best rank at World No.466.
– Made her debut in the WTA Top 500.
– Moved from being ranked No.7 in India to No.2 in women’s singles.

Currently, Sahaja Yamalapalli is India’s highest-ranked female player at World No.397. With her rapid rise to able prominence as one of India’s most talented and skilled tenacious competitors on court, Vaishnavi Adkar is quickly becoming one of India’s most talented players at tennis.

Key Wins That Defined Vaishnavi Adkar’s Dream Run

Vaishnavi Adkar’s road to the final consisted of a string of breathtaking wins over more highly-ranked players:

Round of 16

Won over Mai Hontama (World No.220)

Score: 6-3, 1-6, 6-4

Quarterfinal

Won over Taylah Preston (World No.148)

Score: 6-3, 1-6, 6-4

Semifinal

Won over Lanlana Tararudee (World No.126)

Score: 6-3, 6-3

Final

Lost to Hanne Vandewinkel

Score: 0-6, 1-6

Early Season Setback That Sparked the Comeback

Interestingly, Vaishnavi Adkar’s big break came after a tough beginning to the year. She had a first-round loss at the Mumbai Open (WTA 125).

Rather than letting this result define her year, she took the time to work on her game in the ITF circuit and eventually achieved her defining moment in Bengaluru.

Who Is Vaishnavi Adkar?

Vaishnavi Adkar was born on December 14, 2004 in Pune and has quickly become one of India’s fastest-gunning professional tennis players. Vaishnavi began playing tennis at age 7 and rose to the top of women’s Under-14 by achieving the rank of India No. 1.

She has since climbed to an all-time high of No. 115 on the ITF junior rankings (her highest junior ranking). She trains with coach Kedar Shah at Bounce Tennis Academy, where she continues developing her skills and competing.

The ability of Vaishnavi to play well from baseline gives me an above-average chance of seeing her develop as a player in Indian tennis due to all the different aspects her baseline play, her tactical ability, and her never say die attitude towards winning.

Achievements of Vaishnavi Adkar’s Career

Success at ITF in 2024

Won several events in singles and doubles at the ITF W15 tournament in Ahmedabad, giving her an early 20s as a winner of her first professional singles title.

Historic Medal at World University Games

In July 2025, Adkar made history at the Summer World University Games in Germany by clinching a bronze medal in women’s singles. She marked the first time an Indian woman has won a tennis medal at the championships, breaking a 46-year wait since Nandan Bal won silver in 1979.

Current Rank of Vaishnavi Adkar’s Career

Who Is Vaishnavi Adkar? Pune Tennis Star Becomes India’s No.2 After Dream Run In Bengaluru — (PC- India Today)

Vaishnavi’s current singles ranking (as of June 2021) is 466th in the world, while her previous highest singles ranking is 581st as of July 2025. Her doubles ranking is 414.

In her climb into the top 500 Vaishnavi has provided an indication to WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tournaments that she is ready to challenge higher level competition.