Jensi Kanabar created history by becoming the first Indian female to win the Australian Open Asia-Pacific U14 title, delivering a remarkable comeback victory in Melbourne. Reported by Sabyasachi Chowdhury from India Today.
The 14-year-old defeated Australia’s Musemma Cilek 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final to clinch the prestigious trophy. She is only the second Indian overall to lift the title, after Arnav Paparkar.
Kanabar’s triumph came after a testing final at Melbourne Park, where she showed exceptional composure and mental strength.
After losing the first set and trailing early in the second, she turned the match around against a physically strong opponent and a home crowd backing the local favourite.
Her campaign at the 2026 Australian Open Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy was dominant from the start. Kanabar topped Group A with a perfect 3-0 record, winning all her round-robin matches in straight sets.
She began with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Nepal’s Shivali Gurung, followed by a 7-5, 6-4 victory against China’s Jinyu Zhou, before dismantling New Zealand’s Jocelyn Ke 6-0, 6-1.
In the semi-finals, Kanabar produced another composed display against Japan’s Aoi Yoshida, winning a tight opening-set tiebreak 7-6(3) before sealing the match 6-2. She then capped a memorable week with her comeback win in the final.
The Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy, launched in 2020 by the Asian Tennis Federation and Tennis Australia, has become a key pathway event for elite juniors.
Kanabar’s success highlights India’s growing presence in international junior tennis.
Hailing from Junagadh, Kanabar is regarded as one of India’s most promising young players. She has reached No.1 in the All India Tennis Association Girls Under-14 and Under-16 rankings and has also entered the AITA women’s singles rankings at just 14.
Her achievements include winning the GSPDP Asian Under-14 Junior Championship in Manila and the ITF J30 Ahmedabad title on her junior debut, along with strong performances on the ITF Women’s circuit.
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