Two days after being left out of India’s 2026 Asian Games squad, Vaishnavi Adkar responded in the most emphatic way possible — a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Japan’s Ayano Shimizu in the Round of 32 at the W15 Tianjin event in China.
The Result
🇮🇳 Vaishnavi Adkar (WTA 389) d. 🇯🇵 Ayano Shimizu (WTA 572; career-high 175) 6-0 6-0
Shimizu, a former World No. 175, didn’t win a single game against Adkar, who needed just two sets to send a clear message barely 48 hours after the Sports Ministry’s squad announcement snub.
The Asian Games Controversy
On August 23, Adkar was one of five Indian tennis players dropped from the 2026 Asian Games squad, a decision that drew criticism given her form over the past year. The exclusion has fuelled fresh debate around the selection process and its disconnect from actual on-court results.
Vaishnavi Adkar’s Standout Season
The Tianjin result is only the latest data point in a breakout year for the Indian No. 1-in-waiting:
- Became the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2009 to reach a WTA W100 final
- Beat Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee — now ranked World No. 72 and a likely 4th seed at the Asian Games — 6-3, 6-3
- Defeated three Top-220 opponents during her run to the Bengaluru W100 final
- Won the W35 Tumakuru title
- Became the first Indian woman ever to win a tennis medal at the World University Games, an achievement notable enough to feature as a question on Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC)
Why This Result Matters
Beating a former Top-175 player 6-0, 6-0 on the back of a selection snub is the kind of result that puts the spotlight back on the numbers rather than the decision. With the Asian Games squad debate still simmering, Adkar’s Tianjin performance adds to the case that India’s tennis selection process needs a harder look at form and rankings before finalising rosters for major multi-sport events.
Follow Indian Tennis Daily for continuing coverage of Vaishnavi Adkar and the fallout from India’s 2026 Asian Games tennis squad selection.