The 14 & Under Junior Championships at Wimbledon begin from 9th July and will go on until 12th of July, 2026. The tournament will take place at the All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Puneeth Manohar and Srishti Kiran, Karnataka’s youngest stars are set to make their grass court debut at the tournament. They happen to be the only Indians representing the country in the U-14 category.
Both the 14-year-old athletes earned their qualification spots after dominant campaigns at the ITF Asia 14 & Under Development Championships Finals held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where they secured their places on the elite ITF Grand Slam Player Development Programme (GSPDP) touring team.
Srishti Kiran had a stellar performance at the tournament as she finished as the girls’ singles runner-up across both competitive weeks of the Asian Championships.
“It feels surreal to think that I will be competing at Wimbledon this week,” said Srishti Kiran. “The competition in Colombo was intense, but it pushed me to play my best tennis. Transitioning to grass has been an amazing challenge, and I am focused on taking it one match at a time. Representing Karnataka and India on this global stage is an absolute honour.”
Joining her in London, Puneeth Manohar enters the tournament as Asia’s No.1 ranked player in the Under-14 category. He achieved the milestone after winning the Week 1 singles title in Colombo.
“Stepping onto the grass courts at Wimbledon is a dream I have had since I first picked up a racquet,” said Puneeth. “Finishing on top in the Asian Championships gave me a lot of confidence, and training on grass courts over the last few weeks has prepared me well. I am incredibly grateful to KSLTA, my coaches, and my sponsors for believing in me. I cannot wait to wear the Indian colours at the All England Club.”
The pair has already arrived in London to get acclimated to the environment ahead of the tournament draw.
Sunil Yajman, Hon. Joint Secretary of All India Tennis Association said, “Having worked closely with junior development programs, watching Puneeth and Srishti transition from local state tournaments to the iconic courts of Wimbledon is incredibly rewarding. They have shown remarkable discipline and grit. Their presence at the All England Club will undoubtedly inspire thousands of young boys and girls across Karnataka and India to pick up a tennis racquet and dream big.”
The Wimbledon 14 & Under Championships are scheduled for July 9–12, 2026, and will run alongside the main Championships’ second week.
