Indian junior tennis is celebrating a bright moment in New York as 16-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi advanced to the second round of the US Open Junior Girls’ Singles.
The Chennai-born youngster produced a composed performance to beat China’s Zhang-Qian Wei 7-6(5), 6-3 in the first round, sealing a straight-sets win in one hour and 34 minutes. Ranked No. 54 in the ITF Junior Rankings, Maaya entered the Grand Slam main draw directly on the strength of her recent form. Against Zhang-Qian Wei, ranked 128, she showed the poise and resilience required to thrive on one of the sport’s biggest stages. The opening set was fiercely contested, with neither player able to assert dominance in the early stages. Zhang-Qian Wei’s first serve percentage of 61% gave her initial stability, and she even sent down two aces.
But Maaya countered with efficiency on her own delivery, winning 66% of points on her first serve and 57% on her second.
The set inevitably headed into a tiebreak, where composure was key. Maaya held her nerve better in the clutch moments, clinching it 7-5. Her ability to absorb pressure and extend rallies forced her Chinese opponent into errors, particularly from the backhand side. That mental edge proved decisive.
Taking Control in the Second
With the first set secured, Maaya carried the momentum into the second. She raised her level on return, winning 32 of 69 receiving points (46%) and breaking serve four times across the match. While Zhang-Qian Wei landed a higher percentage of first serves, it was Maaya who did more damage when her delivery found its mark. The Indian teenager also showed greater willingness to step inside the court. She won 53% of points at the net (10/19), using her forehand to finish off shorter balls. Zhang-Qian Wei struggled to match that aggression, winning only three net points in the entire contest.
Despite committing 39 unforced errors compared to her opponent’s 26, Maaya balanced it with 13 winners and a crucial ability to win the bigger points. Her break-point conversion stood at an impressive 80% (4/5), underlining her sharpness in pressure moments.
The Numbers Behind the Win
A closer look at the statistics reveals the subtle edges that swung the match in Maaya’s favor:
- First serve efficiency: Maaya won 23/35 (66%) of points on her first serve, significantly better than Zhang-Qian’s 55%.
- Second serve reliability: On second serve, Maaya again held the edge with 57% points won, compared to Zhang-Qian’s 52%.
- Break points: Maaya converted 4 out of 5 (80%), while Zhang-Qian managed just 3 out of 9 (33%).
- Net game: Maaya won more than half her net approaches, while Zhang-Qian barely ventured forward.
- Total points: Maaya finished with 76 points won against Zhang-Qian’s 65, reflecting her ability to edge the crucial rallies.
Interestingly, Zhang-Qian Wei committed fewer unforced errors (26 to Maaya’s 39), but Maaya’s higher winner count and clinical return game tilted the balance.
What Lies Ahead: A Test Against the Second Seed
The reward for Maaya’s opening-round success is a daunting second-round clash against Great Britain’s Hannah Klugman, the No. 2 seed and world No. 4 junior. Klugman, just 15, has already earned a reputation as one of the brightest talents on the circuit, with a powerful baseline game and the physicality to dominate long matches.
For Maaya, this will be a huge step up in challenge. Klugman has been tipped as a future top-50 player on the women’s tour, and while her serve and net game are still works in progress, she remains a formidable opponent at this level. Nevertheless, the match offers Maaya a priceless opportunity to test her game against one of the very best. Her ability to stay composed under pressure, as shown in the tiebreak against Zhang-Qian, and her effective return game could prove crucial against Klugman’s aggressive style.
While Maaya has advanced, it was a disappointing start for the Indian boys. Kriish Tyagi lost to Sweden’s Ludvig Hede 3-6, 1-6, and Hitesh Chauhan fell 2-6, 3-6 to American Maximus Dassault in their respective opening matches. Earlier in the qualifying rounds, Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar and Arjun Rathi also bowed out in straight sets, ending India’s challenge in the boys’ singles draw. That puts the spotlight squarely on Maaya as the lone Indian still in contention. For Indian tennis, which is still searching for breakthroughs at the junior Grand Slam level, her presence in the second round is a positive sign of depth building in the system.
At just 16, Maaya Rajeshwaran is still in the formative stages of her tennis journey. But performances like her first-round win at Flushing Meadows highlight both her mental resilience and her tactical maturity. The match against Zhang-Qian Wei was not without its flaws—her 39 unforced errors will be an area to address but it also showcased her ability to rise in big moments. As she prepares to take on Hannah Klugman, Maaya will know the odds are stacked against her. Yet, the encounter itself represents progress: a chance to measure herself against the very best, and to lay down a marker for the years ahead.
For now, Indian tennis fans can take pride in the fact that one of their own is holding her ground at a Grand Slam, with the promise of much more to come.
