Who Is Jay Meena? Meet the Cricketer-At-Heart Making Soft Tennis History For India

Jay Meena has scripted history at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, assuring India of its first-ever medal in Soft Tennis. The TAGG-supported athlete stormed into the men’s singles semi-finals after edging past the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit in a thrilling quarter-final on Wednesday, September 23.

Jay Meena Holds Nerve In Thrilling Quarter-Final

Meena was pushed all the way by Nuguit but held his nerve to register a 4-3 victory. The Indian lost the opening set 0-4 before fighting back to level the contest. The match continued to swing between the two players before Meena eventually prevailed 0-4, 4-2, 2-4, 5-3, 2-4, 7-5.

The victory took Meena into the last four and guaranteed him at least a bronze medal. Since all four semi-finalists receive medals in the event, his progression also ended India's long wait for a podium finish in Asian Games Soft Tennis. India had participated in the sport at previous editions but had never won a medal.

From School Court To Asian Games History

Meena's journey to this historic moment began almost by accident. Interested in cricket as a youngster, he discovered Soft Tennis at Pioneer Public School in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. He initially watched players and worked as a ball boy before taking up the sport himself.

His rise was rapid. He won the men's singles gold at the 2022 National Games in Gujarat and reached the quarter-finals of the men's singles competition at the Hangzhou Asian Games. In 2024, he and Aadhya Tiwari won bronze in mixed doubles at the World Soft Tennis Championships, India's first medal at the event.

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Meena then became the first Indian to win an individual medal at the Asian Soft Tennis Championships in 2025, taking men's singles bronze. His international achievements have been supported through the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) programme, including overseas exposure, training camps and sport-specific equipment.

Another Historic Chapter Awaits

The 2026 Asian Games have already seen Meena overcome setbacks in the mixed doubles and men's team events. His partnership with Tiwari ended in the round of 16, while India's men's team exited in the quarter-finals.

Now, Meena stands just one victory away from the gold-medal match. His semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday morning, giving the Indian star another opportunity to add to a campaign that has already secured a landmark medal for the country.