At just 14 years and five months old, Jensi Kanabar has made history by becoming the youngest Indian female to reach the quarter-final of a professional singles event. By achieving this feat, she surpassed a long-standing 25-year-old record previously held by the legendary Sania Mirza, marking a significant and proud milestone for the future of Indian tennis.
Jensi Kanabar breaks Sania Mirza's all-time record
Competing in only her second ITF tournament, Kanabar displayed composure and grit well beyond her years at the ITF W15 event in New Delhi. She secured her place in the quarter-finals by upsetting 22-year-old Sandeepti Singh Rao in a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 victory. The young prodigy notably demonstrated her mental toughness during the second set, where she saved four crucial set points to close out the match in straight sets.
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Her impressive run began in dominant fashion during the Round of 32, where she dismantled Jaya Kapoor with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win. Carrying that momentum into the later stages of the tournament, Kanabar has seamlessly combined fearless shot-making with a level of maturity that has captured the attention of the tennis community.
Youngest Indian females to make pro singles quarterfinals:
Jensi Kanabar – 14y 5m 0d
Sania Mirza – 14y 5m 11d
Ankita Bhambri – 14y 8m
Tara Iyer – 15y 0m
Isha Lakhani – 15y 0m
Rutuja Bhosale – 15y 2m
Sanaa Bhambri – 15y 2m
Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi – 15y 6m
Shruti Ahlawat – 15y 7m
Parthsarthi Arun Mundhe – 15y 7m
Mahak Jain – 15y 8m
How Jensi Kanabar burst into fame?
Jensi Kanabar first made international headlines earlier this year by scripting a historic victory at the Australian Open U14 tournament. In a grueling final against Australia’s Musemma Cilek, Kanabar orchestrated a remarkable comeback after trailing 3-6, 0-2. Despite the pressure of a vocal home crowd supporting her opponent, the 14-year-old maintained her composure to secure a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win, becoming the first Indian female to claim the title.
Her path to the 2026 Australian Open Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy was defined by sheer dominance. She moved through Group A with a perfect 3-0 record, dispatching Shivali Gurung, Jinyu Zhou, and Jocelyn Ke in straight sets. Kanabar continued her clinical run in the semi-finals with a 7-6(3), 6-2 win over Aoi Yoshida, setting the stage for the gritty performance that ultimately earned her the historic championship.
Hailing from Junagadh, Gujarat, Kanabar is rapidly ascending as one of India's premier tennis prospects. Her rise through the junior ranks has been meteoric, earning her the No. 1 spot in both the AITA Girls’ Under-14 and Under-16 rankings. By early 2026, she had already successfully transitioned into the women’s circuit, proving that her game translates effectively to the professional level.
Her growing resume is packed with prestigious accolades, including the GSPDP Asian U-14 Championship in Manila and the Fenesta Open U-14 crown. Remarkably, she also captured the ITF J30 Ahmedabad title in her debut appearance.