Vaishnavi Adkar loses W100 final in Bengaluru despite breakthrough week
Wildcard entrant Vaishnavi Adkar fell short in the ITF W100 final in Bengaluru on Feb. 23, 2026, 0-6, 1-6 to Belgium’s third seed Hanne Vandewinkel, ending her remarkable run at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium.
The 21-year-old Indian, who had stunned higher-ranked foes including Lanlana Tararudee (126), Taylah Preston (148) and Mai Hontama (220) to reach her first W100 final, outplayed expectations and lifted her profile despite the straight-sets loss.
“This was a solid week for me here,” Adkar said, reflecting on her performance and resilience after a season disrupted by injury. “It has strengthened my self-belief and confidence.”
Adkar’s run is a milestone for Indian women’s tennis — she’s the first since Sania Mirza to reach this level in a W100 final — and the points she earned are set to boost her ranking into the top 500 for the first time.
“I’ll take the lessons forward,” she added, already eyeing her next challenge at the upcoming W35 event in Kalaburagi.