India’s Jay Meena has etched his name in the nation’s sporting history, becoming the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the Asian Soft Tennis Championships. The historic bronze medal was secured by reaching the men’s singles semi-finals at the 9th Asian Soft Tennis Championships, currently underway in South Korea.
In a thrilling quarter-final match, Meena defeated China’s Li Run Cheng 4-1, a victory that not only advanced him to the semi-finals but also guaranteed him a podium finish. While he was later defeated by Chinese Taipei’s Chen Po Yi in the semi-finals, his performance secured a bronze medal and marked a monumental achievement for Indian soft tennis.
The victory adds another historic milestone to Jay Meena’s impressive resume. In 2024, he and his mixed doubles partner Aadhya Tiwari won India’s first-ever medal at the World Soft Tennis Championships, a bronze, further highlighting his role as a pioneer in the sport for India.
Soft tennis, which originated in Japan, is a version of the sport played with a lighter, softer rubber ball. While it has a massive following in East Asian countries, it is still a relatively lesser-known sport in India. Jay Meena’s consistent success and historic wins at both the World and Asian Championships are helping to raise the sport’s profile and are inspiring a new generation of Indian athletes to take up the racket.
