Asian Games: Jay Meena wins India's maiden soft tennis medal with men's singles bronze

Jay Meena created history on Wednesday at the Asian Games in Japan, becoming the first Indian to win a medal in soft tennis.

Meena secured the bronze medal in the men's singles event after his run ended in the semifinals with a 2-4 defeat to Japan's Takuya Kurosaka.

The Indian made his opponent work for the win. After dropping the first three sets, Meena fought back to take the fourth and fifth and cut the deficit to 2-3. Kurosaka, however, held his nerve in the sixth set, winning it 4-1 to close out the match.


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The scoreline read 3-5, 1-4, 1-4, 4-1, 6-4, 1-4.

Meena had reached the last four after edging past the Philippines' Sherwin Nuguit in a closely fought quarterfinal. Since all four semifinalists were guaranteed medals, his quarterfinal win had already secured India a historic podium finish in the sport.

India adds more medals in shooting

Meena's bronze took India's medal tally at the Games to 11, with the country placed eighth in the standings. India had one gold and seven medals in shooting, besides gold medals in cricket, silver in weightlifting through Mirabai Chanu and mixed martial arts through Suchika Tariyal.

China continued to lead the medal table with 60 medals.

India added two more bronze medals in shooting on Wednesday, finishing third in both the men's and women's skeet team events.

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The women's team of Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan posted a combined score of 331 to claim bronze. The men's team of Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Bhavtegh Singh Gill also finished third after beating Kazakhstan in a shoot-off.

Manu Bhaker finishes fifth

Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol final.

Elsewhere, India's women's kabaddi team began its Group A campaign with a 37-23 win over Iran.

Rowing also produced several advances. Balraj Panwar qualified for the men's single sculls final, while Satnam Singh and Salman Khan made it through to the men's double sculls final. India's women's four crew also booked a place in Final A.

In canoeing and kayaking, India's men's kayak four 500m team reached the final. Megha Pradeep advanced to the women's canoe single 200m semifinals, while Parvathy Geetha-Phairembam Soniya Devi progressed to the women's kayak double 500m semifinals.