14-Year-Old Makes History, Breaks Sania Mirza's All-Time India Record

Last Updated:May 01, 2026, 09:30 IST

Jensi Kanabar, 14, becomes youngest Indian female to reach a pro singles quarter-final at ITF W15 New Delhi, breaking Sania Mirza's record.

Jensi Kanabar made history at just 14 years and five months, becoming the youngest Indian female player to reach the quarter-finals of a professional singles event.

In doing so, she surpassed a long-standing record set by Sania Mirza over two decades ago.

Youngest Indian To Qualify For Women’s Singles Quarters

Competing in only her second ITF event, Kanabar showed remarkable composure to defeat Sandeepti Singh Rao 6-3, 7-5 in the Round of 16 at the ITF W15 New Delhi tournament. The teenager displayed great resilience in the second set, saving four set points before closing out the match and securing her place in the last eight. She had opened her campaign with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 win over Jaya Kapoor, carrying that momentum into the next round with fearless shot-making and maturity beyond her years.

Her achievement puts her at the top of a notable list of young Indian players who have reached professional quarter-finals at an early age, ahead of names such as Sania Mirza, Ankita Bhambri and Tara Iyer.

Kanabar’s rise has been rapid. Earlier this year, she became the first Indian girl to win the Australian Open Under-14 title, defeating Musemma Cilek 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final after mounting an impressive comeback. Her campaign in the Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy was equally dominant, as she topped her group with a perfect record and progressed through the knockout stages with confident performances, including a win over Aoi Yoshida in the semi-finals.

Hailing from Junagadh in Gujarat, Kanabar has already reached No.1 in the AITA Girls’ Under-14 and Under-16 rankings. Her achievements include titles at the Asian U-14 Championship in Manila and the ITF J30 Ahmedabad event, along with the prestigious Fenesta Open U-14 crown.

Still in her early teens, Kanabar is steadily transitioning to the senior circuit, demonstrating the consistency and temperament needed to compete at higher levels.

News sports tennis 14-Year-Old Makes History, Breaks Sania Mirza's All-Time India Record

Read More