Who Is Jay Meena? From Cricket Bat To Soft Tennis Racket: The 26-Year-Old Creates History With Bronze Medal At Asian Games 2026

India's Jay Meena etched history at the Asian Games 2026 as he claimed the country's maiden medal in soft tennis. The 26-year-old achieved the bronze medal in the men's singles event, succumbing to a 2-4 loss against Japan's Takuya Kurosaka in the semifinals. Meena's path to the podium was unique, given that soft tennis was not his initial sporting ambition.

Raised in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, he was first drawn to cricket, aspiring to become a cricket star. It was at Pioneer Public School that Meena's soft tennis journey began. Inspired by watching players on a soft tennis court, he eventually took on the role of a ball boy. His passion grew, steering him through school, district, state, and national contests, leading him to compete on the international stage by the age of 14.

Meena's triumphs include winning the men's singles gold at the 36th National Games in Gujarat in 2022 and becoming the national champion in men's singles in 2025. Prior to his memorable Asian Games campaign, Meena had already made a mark internationally. At the 2024 World Soft Tennis Championships, he teamed up with Aadhya Tiwari to secure India's first-ever medal in the mixed doubles, earning a bronze.

He also secured the distinction of being the first Indian to claim a medal at the Asian Soft Tennis Championships in 2025, earning a bronze in men's singles.