Jay Meena Makes History with India's First Asian Games Medal in Soft Tennis

In a groundbreaking achievement, Jay Meena has won India's first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis, securing a bronze in the men's singles event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Meena, highlighting the significance of this milestone for Indian sports. The tournament saw Meena's impressive journey, culminating in a semi-final match against Japan's Takuya Kurosaka. This victory not only marks a historic moment for soft tennis in India but also contributes to the country's growing medal tally at the Asian Games. With a successful day across various sports, including weightlifting and hockey, India is making its mark at the event. Read on to discover more about this inspiring achievement and India's overall performance.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 24, 2026, 00:01 IST

Historic Achievement for Indian Soft Tennis

On September 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Jay Meena, who made history by securing India's inaugural Asian Games medal in soft tennis. Meena clinched a bronze in the men's singles event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.

The Prime Minister's Office took to social media to celebrate this milestone, stating, "A remarkable achievement for Indian Soft Tennis! Congratulations to Jay Meena for winning Bronze in the Men’s Individual event, marking India’s first-ever medal in Soft Tennis at the Asian Games. This accomplishment opens a new chapter for the sport in India. May this inspire many young athletes to pursue Soft Tennis and excel. Best wishes for his future endeavors: PM @narendramodi."

Meena's journey in the tournament concluded in the semi-finals, where he faced Japan's Takuya Kurosaka, losing with a score of 2-4. Despite dropping the first three sets, Meena fought back to win the fourth and fifth sets, narrowing the gap to 2-3.

However, Kurosaka clinched the sixth set 4-1, finalizing the match with a score of 3-5, 1-4, 1-4, 4-1, 6-4, 1-4, as reported by ESPN.

Earlier, Meena secured his semi-final spot by defeating Sherwin Nuguit from the Philippines in a thrilling quarter-final match. With all semi-finalists guaranteed a medal, his victory ensured a historic podium finish for India in this sport.

India had a successful day overall, with Mirabai Chanu earning silver in the women's 49kg weightlifting event, while both the men's and women's skeet teams brought home bronze medals.

The women's hockey team achieved a remarkable 20-1 victory against Thailand in their Pool B match, and both kabaddi teams also celebrated wins. In squash, Abhay Singh and Tanvi Khanna advanced in their respective singles competitions.

Additionally, India secured spots in multiple rowing and canoe sprint finals and semi-finals, and mixed doubles pairs progressed in table tennis.

In boxing, Ankush triumphed over Bahrain's Hamsa Vogel in the men's 80kg round of 32.

As of now, India's medal tally stands at 11, placing the nation 12th in the overall standings, while China leads with 75 medals.