India’s Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi is beginning to turn her promise into results on the professional circuit, but the 17-year-old is determined to keep her focus on the court rather than the growing attention surrounding her historic run at the Chennai Open. The Coimbatore-born teenager defeated Poland’s Weronika Falkowska 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday to become the first Indian woman in 14 years to reach a WTA Tour-level singles quarter-final. Her achievement ended a long wait for Indian women’s tennis, with Sania Mirza last reaching the stage at Pattaya in February 2012.
The milestone has placed Maaya among a select group of Indian women to reach the last eight of a WTA Tour singles event. However, the teenager remains grounded, recognising the importance of the moment while insisting that her priority is to keep improving her game. “I think it is part of an athlete’s career. There are certain things that need to be done and it is always nice to get help. It is always nice to get recognition. In a country like India, it is definitely really nice to actually have some recognition,” said Maaya after advancing to the quarter-finals. “But at the end of the day, I think it comes down to tennis. You do well, you learn and get what you want.”
The victory over Falkowska was not without its challenges. Maaya admitted that her performance was below the standard she had set for herself, particularly with her serve, while her opponent’s aggressive returning forced her to rethink her approach. “I am happy to get the win. It was not as good as I wanted it to be, like yesterday (Tuesday), but I am happy that I found ways to win. “She (Falkowska) was really hitting those returns, she was going for it, and that sort of made me think more. I think I was really hesitant at the start. But after some time I was like, no matter what, I am going to go for it. Holding back or being hesitant is not going to help. So, I was just trying to go for it, trying to hit the spots more and get a higher percentage,” she said.
Maaya’s progress has been built on a season of transition, balancing junior tennis with increasing appearances on the professional circuit. The teenager achieved one of her major targets for the year in October, winning her maiden professional singles title at the ITF W35 tournament in Lagos, Portugal. She defeated Spain’s Celia Cervino Ruiz 6-4, 6-2 in the final and also claimed the doubles title alongside Ukraine’s Yelyzaveta Kotliar.
“I wanted to win a pro title this year and that started off with Lagos. So, I think that was a good start to my career,” she said. The Lagos triumph provided a significant boost to her confidence as she continued to make the transition from junior tennis to the professional circuit. Her immediate objective, however, remains centred on gaining experience and improving her consistency rather than chasing rankings or milestones. “We do have short-term goals, but I will not put pressure on achieving those goals. You keep improving, you keep working on what you have to, and I think matches and wins are going to follow,” she said.
Maaya has also had to navigate the challenges of competing at junior Grand Slam tournaments, where her singles results have not always matched her potential. Although she did not progress beyond the second round of the junior Grand Slam singles events this season, she reached the doubles semi-finals at the US Open. The teenager believes that setbacks are an essential part of development and prefers to focus on the lessons they provide rather than dwell on disappointing results.
“You play matches, you lose, you learn. There is no point dwelling on it,” she said. Her approach reflects a growing maturity, particularly as she begins to compete more regularly against experienced players on the professional circuit. She also acknowledged the difficult conditions at the Chennai Open, but stressed that the challenge was the same for both players. “It is tough conditions, but it is the same for both of us. At the end of the day, it comes down to who stays more and who fights more. I am just trying to do that as much as I can,” she said.
Maaya’s breakthrough at the Chennai Open is significant not only because it ends a 14-year wait for an Indian woman to reach a WTA Tour quarter-final, but also because it signals the emergence of a promising new generation. Her recent professional title in Lagos and her performance in Chennai demonstrate that Indian women’s tennis has young players capable of competing at a higher level. The next challenge for Maaya will be to build on this momentum and establish herself consistently on the professional circuit. Her focus on improvement, match experience and handling pressure could prove crucial as she continues her development.
For now, the teenager has already achieved a milestone that will be remembered in Indian tennis. The quarter-final appearance is a breakthrough, but her journey is only beginning.
