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Sania Mirza’s 22-year-old record has been broken by a rising tennis youngster in the country. In a breakthrough performance that has stunned Indian tennis fans, 17-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi claimed her maiden professional singles title at the ITF W35 Lagos tournament on Sunday.
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The Coimbatore-born teenager defeated Spain’s Celia Cerviño Ruiz 6-4, 6-2 in the final without dropping a set in the main draw. Following the stunning victory, she became the youngest Indian woman to win a W35-level singles crown, surpassing a record held by Sania Mirza for 22 years. Born on 12 June 2009, Maaya turned 17 years and three months old at the time of her victory. Mirza had set the previous mark at 17 years and 10 months when she won a title in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2004.
Sania Mirza's 22-year-old record broken! Who is Maaya Rajeshwaran? 17-year-old becomes youngest to…
The parallel is striking as both players were teenagers when they triumphed at events bearing the Lagos name, though Maaya’s success came on the outdoor hard courts of Clube Ténis Lagos in Portugal. Ranked world No. 1038 entering the week and starting in qualifying, the young player, who specialises in a right-handed two-handed backhand, produced a remarkable run which is worth talking.
In the main-draw first round, she faced top seed Justina Mikulskyte of Lithuania, then ranked No. 246. Trailing 0-5 in the opening set, the Indian fought back to win 7-6(1), 6-1. She continued to overthrow her higher-ranked opponents, including a dominant showing against Berta Bonardi and a straight-sets win over eighth seed Jialin Tian. A walkover in the semi-finals against third seed Britt Du Pree of Britain sent her into the final.
In the title match against Cerviño Ruiz, Maaya maintained composure as she showed off her skills on the court. After securing the first set, she admitted feeling pressure and later revealed a personal coping mechanism. She said:
“I felt that I was putting myself under too much pressure. I distanced myself from everything else and began humming a song in my mind to reduce the stress.”
Maaya added:
“This helped me a lot. Even at match point, I did not think of it as a special point. For me, it was just a normal point.”
The singles triumph completed a doubles double. Partnering Ukraine’s Yelyzaveta Kotliar, Maaya went on to win the doubles title with a comeback victory over China’s Min Liu and Italy’s Carlotta Moccia, 0-6, 6-2, 10-7 in the match tiebreak. Her journey began relatively late by modern standards, as she was introduced to this sport at the age of eight by her father, Rajeshwaran. Maaya is not the only sportsperson in the family, as her father played cricket and other sports. Inspired by her father, she decided to take up the sport and excel in tennis.
Maaya has won several titles at this young age; she trained at Rafael Nada’s tennis academy
Early coaching in India, including time at Pro Serve Tennis Academy, led to strong junior results. She won multiple ITF junior titles, including three J300 events, and became the first Indian girl to achieve that feat. A standout performance as a 15-year-old wildcard at the 2025 WTA 125 Mumbai Open, where she reached the semi-finals, earned her first WTA ranking points and a career-high of No. 642 in March 2025.
She spent time training at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, Spain, where she valued insights from Toni Nadal. A few months before the Lagos event, she relocated to the Elite Tennis Centre in Cannes, France, a move she described as being made “in the best interest of me.”
Maaya speaks on breaking Sania Mirza’s record
Breaking Sani Mirza’s record is not less than a flex. Asked about breaking teh Indian tennis legend’s record, the young rising star was quick to place the achievement in perspective. She said in the media interaction:
“I don’t think you can actually surpass her, you know, because she’s a legend and she’ll always remain a legend.”
Maaya added:
“I still do look up to her in a lot of ways because I think she was the idol when I was growing up in the country and she’s someone who’s made tennis visible in the country after so many years.”
Maaya added that she continues to follow Mirza’s podcasts and interviews and hopes one day to speak with her at length. The victory marks an important moment not just for her but for Indian women’s tennis, which has long sought consistent depth beyond the pioneering era of Mirza. Entering as a qualifier ranked outside the top 1,000 and leaving as a double champion at the W35 level demonstrates both talent and temperament.
Maaya’s Grand Slam records
Maaya plays in junior Grand Slams. Talking about her singles record, the best she has reached is the second round of the French Open in 2026 and the US Open this year and in 2025. In doubles, she has made it to the semifinals of the US Open and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in the juniors category.
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