Maaya Rajeshwaran breaks Sania Mirza’s historic record with maiden pro singles title
India’s Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi scripted a memorable chapter in Indian tennis history on Sunday, October 11, by winning her maiden professional singles title at the W35 Lagos tournament in Portugal. The 17-year-old defeated Spain’s Celia Cervino Ruiz 6-4, 6-2 in the final to become the youngest Indian woman to win a W35-level singles title, surpassing a record held by Sania Mirza for 22 years.
The achievement also drew striking parallels with Mirza’s breakthrough in 2004. Both players were 17 when they won titles in Lagos, with Maaya triumphing in Portugal on October 11, 2026, and Mirza winning in Lagos, Nigeria, on October 10, 2004. Maaya, aged 17 years and three months, bettered Mirza’s age of 17 years and 10 months at the time of her achievement.
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The title marks a significant milestone for Maaya, who has emerged as one of India’s promising young tennis talents. Her performance throughout the week showcased her ability to compete against more experienced and higher-ranked opponents on the professional circuit.
MAAYA’S STUNNING RUN TO GLORY IN LAGOS
Maaya began her campaign in the qualifying rounds and carried that momentum into the main draw, producing a series of impressive victories. Her biggest statement came in the opening round when she stunned top seed Justina Mikulskyte, ranked No. 246 in the world, 7-6(1), 6-1. Maaya fought back from 0-5 down in the opening set before dominating the tie-break and the second set.
She followed that upset with a commanding 6-2, 6-0 victory over Argentina’s Berta Bonardi in the second round. The Indian teenager maintained her impressive form in the quarter-finals, defeating eighth seed Tian Jialin 6-2, 6-1 to reach the last four.
Maaya advanced to the final after receiving a walkover against Britain’s Britt Du Pree in the semi-finals. Facing Cervino Ruiz in the title clash, she maintained her composure to secure a straight-sets victory, winning 6-4, 6-2.
Her success extended beyond singles, as Maaya also captured the doubles title alongside Ukraine’s Yelyzaveta Kotliar. The pair recovered from losing the opening set 0-6 to defeat Min Liu and Carlotta Moccia 0-6, 6-2, 10-7 in a deciding super tie-break.
Winning both titles in the same week made the teenager’s breakthrough in Portugal even more impressive, offering a promising glimpse of what could lie ahead in her professional career.
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