India’s teenage sensation Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi scripted a significant chapter in the country’s tennis history on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2012 to reach a WTA Tour-level singles quarterfinal. The 17-year-old Maaya, ranked 669th in the world, produced a straight-set 6-4 6-3 win over Polish qualifier Weronika Falkowska, ranked 277th, in the second round of the Chennai Open, where no Indian managed to go beyond the second round in previous two editions.
She announced her arrival with a maiden W35 singles title in Lagos, Portugal, in October, winning the tournament as a qualifier without dropping a set. Maaya’s breakthrough in Chennai is the latest step in a rapid rise on the professional circuit this season. Her victory was far from straightforward, though, with the match characterised by a succession of breaks, double faults and unforced errors from both players. But Maaya’s attacking instincts and ability to seize the important moments eventually proved decisive.
The Indian continued to go for her shots but a low first-serve percentage allowed the Polish player to attack her second serve. Falkowska broke again with a cross-court winner after Maaya attempted to charge the net. The Indian, however, found greater consistency when it mattered, breaking Falkowska in the eighth game to open up a 5-3 lead before serving out the match on her third match point when her opponent netted a forehand.
