Karnataka’s Snigdha Kanta clinches ITF J60 Gurugram girls’ singles title

BENGALURU: Karnataka’s Snigdha Kanta capped an impressive week by clinching the girls’ singles title at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J60 Gurugram held from March 9-14, defeating fellow Karnataka player Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar 6-4, 6-4 in the final on Saturday.

Seeded second, the 16-year-old delivered a composed performance in the title clash, converting crucial break points in both sets to seal a straight-sets victory and claim one of the biggest titles of her junior career, according to a press release.

Her run to the trophy was marked by steady performances throughout the week as she navigated a competitive international draw. After dominating the early rounds, Snigdha levelled up in the closing stages of the tournament, defeating fifth seed Deepshika Vinayagamurthy 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the semifinals to set up an all-Karnataka title clash.

This victory adds valuable points to Snigdha’s ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors campaign, where she climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 448 earlier this season. She has also delivered consistent results on the domestic circuit, highlighted by her girls’ singles title at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J30 Raipur in March 2025, along with several strong finishes in national-level events.

Runner-up Padmapriya Ramesh Kumar also enjoyed an impressive campaign in Gurugram. The 13-year-old reached the final without dropping a set, highlighted by a commanding 6-4, 6-1 win over top seed Prisha Nikhil Shinde in the semifinals. Although she fell short in the final, Padmapriya once again highlighted her rapid rise on the junior circuit with another strong international performance.

Padmapriya has already established herself as one of India’s standout young talents. She has spent several weeks as India’s No. 1 in the AITA Girls’ Under-14 rankings and has also broken into the Top 100 of the national Under-16 rankings. The Mysuru-based young talent has won multiple titles on the AITA national circuit and secured a podium finish at the ATF Asian 14 & Under Grade A tournament, underlining her growing promise on the international stage.

Speaking on their achievement, Sunil Yajaman, hon. joint secretary of the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) said, “Congratulations to Snigdha on a well-deserved title and to Padmapriya for an excellent run to the final. An all-Karnataka final at an international ITF junior event is a very encouraging sign for the growth of tennis in our state. Performances like these highlight the depth of talent emerging from Karnataka. We hope this momentum continues as more young players make their mark on the international circuit”. (ANI)