India’s rising tennis star Vaishnavi Adkar continued her remarkable breakthrough at the ITF Bengaluru Open, producing the biggest victory of her young career to storm into her maiden ITF W100 final on Saturday.
The 19-year-old wildcard entrant delivered a performance marked by composure and tactical clarity, stunning second seed Lanlana Tarundee of Thailand, ranked world No. 126, with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory in the semifinals. The match, played at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium, lasted just over an hour, underlining Adkar’s growing authority on court against higher-ranked opposition.
With this win, Adkar has now defeated three seeded players in succession, an extraordinary achievement in her first appearance at a W100 event. The World University Games medalist has steadily built momentum through the week, turning what began as a wildcard opportunity into a defining moment in her professional journey, buoyed by vocal support from the home crowd.
Her semifinal triumph followed an equally impressive quarter-final outing, where she registered her first-ever victory over a Top 150 player. Adkar edged past world No. 148 and fourth seed Taylah Preston in a pulsating three-set encounter, winning 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to announce her arrival at this level. That confidence carried seamlessly into Saturday’s semifinal.
The match against Tarundee began on a tense note, with Adkar facing early pressure on serve. She was forced to save a breakpoint in only her second service game, but the moment proved pivotal. Once she found her rhythm, the Indian raised her intensity, breaking her opponent twice to take the opening set comfortably at 6-3.
The second set brought brief momentum swings. Adkar earned the first break in the fourth game, only to be pegged back immediately as Tarundee fought to stay in the contest. Showing maturity well beyond her years, Adkar responded decisively, breaking again in the sixth game and maintaining her nerve to close out the match in straight sets.
Adkar has not lifted an ITF title since 2024, but Sunday now offers a golden opportunity to claim her second career crown and her most significant yet on home soil. A W100 title would represent a major leap forward in her career, both in terms of ranking points and confidence.
As she prepares for the final, Bengaluru’s tennis fans will be hoping the teenager can cap off a memorable week with a defining milestone, further cementing her status as one of India’s most exciting prospects on the international circuit.
