Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], September 23 : Jay Meena scripted history by winning India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis, securing bronze in the men’s singles event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday.
Meena’s campaign ended in the semi-finals, where he went down 2-4 to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka. The Indian lost the first three sets before mounting a spirited comeback to win the fourth and fifth sets and reduce the deficit to 2-3. However, Kurosaka won the sixth set 4-1 to seal the contest, according to ESPN.
The final scoreline was 3-5, 1-4, 1-4, 4-1, 6-4, 1-4.
Meena had earlier booked his place in the semi-finals by defeating the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit in a thrilling quarter-final. With all semi-finalists assured of a medal, his victory guaranteed India a historic podium finish in the sport.
The bronze medal took India’s overall tally at the Games to 10, including one gold and seven medals in shooting, along with gold medals in cricket and mixed martial arts through Suchika Tariyal.
India were placed eighth in the medal standings, while China led the table with 60 medals.
India also secured bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s skeet team events on Wednesday. The women’s team of Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan finished third with a combined score of 331, while the men’s trio of Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Bhavtegh Singh Gill claimed bronze after defeating Kazakhstan in a shoot-off.
In other results, Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women’s 10m air pistol final, while India’s women’s kabaddi team defeated Iran 37-23 in their Group A match.
In rowing, Balraj Panwar qualified for the men’s single sculls final, while Satnam Singh and Salman Khan advanced to the men’s double sculls final. India’s women’s four crew also qualified for Final A.
The men’s kayak four 500m team reached the final, while Megha Pradeep and Parvathy Geetha-Phairembam Soniya Devi advanced to the women’s canoe single 200m and kayak double 500m semi-finals, respectively.