Adkar and Bhosale become first all-Indian pair to reach WTA doubles final
The Indian duo defeated second seeds Weronika Falkowska and Alana Smith in a Chennai Open semifinal on Saturday.
Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale became the first all-Indian pair to reach a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour-level doubles final after defeating second seeds Weronika Falkowska of Poland and Alana Smith of the USA on Saturday. According to The Hindu, the Indian duo won the Chennai Open semifinal 6-2, 2-6, 10-8.
The pair recovered from a mid-match slump and a 3-0 deficit in the deciding super tie-break to secure the victory. Adkar received a medical timeout for treatment to her left thigh during the match. The duo will now face the Swiss pair of Naima Karamoko and Simona Waltert in the final.
This achievement is a milestone for Indian women's tennis, as no previous all-Indian combination had reached a final at the main WTA Tour level. While Shikha Uberoi and her sister Neha reached finals in 2005, Neha represented the USA, making them an Indo-American combination.
Former player Sania Mirza won 43 doubles titles but never partnered an Indian in those wins. Additionally, Ankita Raina and Karman Thandi won a WTA 125 title in 2018, which is a level below the main Tour.