Playing Without Pressure Helped Me Win Bronze: Pune’s Vaishnavi Adkar on World University Games 2025 Glory
Pune, 29th July 2025: “Excellent practice on the clay court before the competition and playing without pressure during the tournament paid off,” said Pune’s tennis player Vaishnavi Adkar. The 20-year-old Vaishnavi won a bronze medal in women’s singles tennis at the World University Games in Germany, becoming the first Indian female tennis player to achieve this feat.
To mark this achievement, Vaishnavi was felicitated on Tuesday by the Pune Metropolitan District Tennis Association (PMDTA) and the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA). She was honored with a check of INR 25,000. The event was attended by veteran tennis coach Nandan Bal, Mr.Sundar Iyer, Hon Secretary of MSLTA, Mr. Abhishek Tamhane, Hon Secretary of PMDTA and Vaishnavi’s father, Nihar Adkar.
Vaishnavi lost her semifinals match to Eszter Meri of Slovakia 6-2 4-6 4-6 to settle for bronze — the country’s second medal so far in this edition of the WUG. In tennis competition, the two losing semifinalists are awarded a bronze each.
The 20-year-old Vaishnavi became only the second Indian to win a medal in the World University Games, after Nandal Bal clinched a silver in men’s singles in the 1979 edition in Mexico City.
In response to the felicitation, Vaishnavi said, “The selection trials for this tournament were held in Bhubaneswar. After that, I got to play in some clay court tournaments. The University Games were also on clay courts, so playing in those tournaments helped me prepare well. I didn’t think this tournament would be challenging, but top 300-400 ranked tennis players from Europe participated, along with players from American universities. However, all I had in my mind was to make the most of the opportunity I received. Playing without pressure benefited me.”
Vaishnavi, who is studying at BMCC College, represented Savitribai Phule Pune University in this competition. She currently trains under Kedar Shah. Vaishnavi stated, “I am definitely satisfied with getting the medal because I hadn’t even thought about a medal before the tournament. I just wanted to play my natural game. I played five matches for this and it was an enriching experience. Now, my goal is to secure a spot in the Indian team for the upcoming Fed Cup tennis tournament. I have discussed my mistakes with my coache and will certainly try to improve them.”
Speaking on the occasion, Nandan Bal said, “Vaishnavi’s medal has also brought my past success into the limelight, so I should actually thank her. However, playing in university competitions is not easy. Many good players from European and American universities showcase their skills here. In tennis, the challenge in this competition is even greater, so Vaishnavi’s success is memorable for us. Her performance is commendable.”
Sundar Iyer remarked, “Vaishnavi has quality, which is why the Lakshya organization supported her. The Pune and State Tennis Associations will ensure she lacks nothing. In the future, she is set to excel in even bigger tournaments. She has also caught the attention of the Sports Authority of India.”
Abhishek Tamhane said, “This is a proud moment for Puneites and the country. She has consistently achieved milestones through her hard work since her junior days. Her future is bright.”
Her father, Nihar Adkar, stated, “I was very happy when Vaishnavi won the first set. She put up a good fight in the semifinals, so there’s no sadness about her loss. Her hard work has paid off. This moment is a matter of pride for us. I am grateful to everyone who supported her.”
