Jensi Kanabar made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian woman to win the Australian Open U14 title. The 14-year-old produced a stunning comeback in the final to defeat Australia’s Musemma Cilek 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. Trailing 3-6, 0-2, Kanabar showed remarkable composure and mental strength to turn the game around, overcoming a physically imposing opponent and a devout home crowd that supported the local favourite.
Australian Open, update on 13
Kanabar’s campaign in the Australian Open 2026 Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy has been dominant from the start. She cruised through the intermediate round at Melbourne Park, winning all her matches in straight sets to top Group A with a perfect 3-0 record. Her run began with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Nepal’s Shivali Gurung, followed by a hard-fought 7-5, 6-4 win against China’s Jinyu Zhou, before closing the group stage with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 triumph over New Zealand’s Jocelyn Ke.
Her confidence continued to grow in the knockout rounds. In the semi-final against Japan’s Aoi Yoshida, Kanabar produced one of her most comprehensive performances of the tournament, winning a tight first set tiebreak 7-6(3) before closing out the match 6-2 to book her place in the final. She then capped a memorable week by mounting a spirited comeback against Cilek to claim the historic title.
Inaugurated in 2020 as a collaboration between the Asian Tennis Federation and Tennis Australia, the Asia-Pacific Elite 14 & Under Trophy was halted during the Covid-19 pandemic before resuming in 2023. After Arnav Paparkar became the first Indian to win the boys’ title in 2024, Kanabar has now etched her name into the tournament’s women’s history, becoming the first Indian to etch its name into its growing women’s tournaments. track in international junior tennis.
WHO IS JENSI KANABAR?
Jensi Kanabar is one of India’s most promising young tennis players, rising rapidly through the junior ranks through a series of outstanding performances at the national and international levels. Hailing from Junagadh, Gujarat, she started training at a very young age and has shown exceptional commitment and steady progress in the junior circuit.
Her rise has been reflected in the rankings as she has reached the All India Tennis Association (AITA) No. 1 in the girls’ under-14 and under-16 categories and has also secured a spot in the AITA Women’s Singles rankings for the start of 2026 – an impressive feat for a player of her age.
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Her competitive journey has already been marked by several important titles. In September 2025, Kanabar won the GSPDP Asian Under-14 Championship in Manila, defeating second seed Lim Yerin of South Korea in the final to qualify for major junior events in the United States.
She also made an immediate impact on the ITF circuit when she won the ITF J30 Ahmedabad singles title on her junior debut, underscoring her ability to compete strongly at the international level. Around the same period, she continued her domestic dominance by lifting the girls’ under-14 title at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship, further cementing her position among India’s elite junior women.
Kanabar’s success was not limited to age group events. At just 14 years old, she made an impressive debut on the ITF women’s circuit, qualifying for the main draw of the W15 tournament with a back-to-back winning streak. Her consistency, work ethic and competitive maturity have made her one of the brightest young prospects in Indian tennis as she continues to transition to higher levels of competition.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
January 30, 2026
