Nagoya, September 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian soft tennis player Jay Meena, who created history by winning India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in the sport, has promised five gold medals for the country if soft tennis is included in the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad.
Meena made the statement after winning a historic bronze medal in the men’s singles event at the Asian Games on Wednesday. He lost 2-4 to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka in the semifinal after producing a remarkable comeback against Sherwin Nuguit in the quarterfinal.
Trailing 3-5 in the deciding game against Nuguit, Meena won four consecutive points to complete a 4-3 victory and secure India’s maiden Asian Games medal in soft tennis.
“If soft tennis is added to the Commonwealth in 2030, I would like to say this live. I promise you, sir. I personally promise our Prime Minister. Five out of five gold medals will be in India in soft tennis,” Meena told IANS.
He said he had confidence in his teammates and believed India had the ability to compete successfully at that level.
Meena also urged the government to continue supporting soft tennis, pointing out that the sport can be played on existing lawn tennis infrastructure.
“Soft tennis is such a game that you don’t have to develop the infrastructure. It is played on lawn tennis courts. Grass court, clay court, synthetic. You have hotels, accommodation, and courts. What else do you need to develop this game?” he said.
The 28-year-old said his historic medal could encourage more Indians to take up the sport and help create greater interest in soft tennis.
“I am proud to be the first Indian to win this medal. I am proud of the fact that this medal will bring change in India. I am proud of the fact that every Indian can dream of winning a medal,” he said.
Meena’s medal came after a challenging campaign for the Indian team. India exited the men’s team event in the quarterfinals against Indonesia on September 18, while Meena and Aadhya Tiwari were eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals of the mixed doubles event.
“This medal was necessary because I and my team have seen very bad days. This medal disturbed our sleep, peace, and the mental health of the whole family,” Meena said.
He said the support extended by the government had raised expectations among the players, their families and people across the country.
“We knew that this time the government had given us all the support. The hopes of the family, the hopes of the whole of India. The Tiranga is not just a medal and a flag. It is the hope of millions of people,” he said.
Making his third Asian Games appearance after Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022, Meena credited his coaches, federation, teammates and the government for supporting his journey.
He said he was part of the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) programme and had received assistance for equipment, training camps and other requirements.
“I would like to thank my coach, my federation and SAI. I am a member of the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) programme team. The government has given me a lot of support,” he said.
Meena said the facilities and support provided to the players made it their responsibility to deliver a medal for the country.
“I am very fortunate that I was able to give this medal to India. I was able to give it to my team. We cried tears of victory in the court today. We kept the flag. There is nothing bigger than this for me,” he added.
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