How two Karnataka teenagers earned their Wimbledon chance

In this story…

Puneeth Manohar was a set down and facing match point in the boys’ singles final of the ITF Asia Under-14 Development Championships in Colombo.

The 13-year-old held his nerve, saved that match point and completed a remarkable comeback to win 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. The victory earned him the title and a place at the 2026 Wimbledon 14 & Under Championships.

He’ll be joined by fellow Karnataka player Srishti Kiran, who reached the girls’ singles final in both weeks of the tournament in Sri Lanka. Together, the two juniors have earned India two places at the All England Club’s development event for the world’s best Under-14 players, held during the Wimbledon fortnight on courts just a short walk from where the senior championships take place.

At just 13, Puneeth and Srishti have already taken a step that many young tennis players spend years chasing.

Meet India’s newest Wimbledon hopefuls

The ITF Asia Under-14 Development Championships Finals were held in Colombo from March 29 to April 10, bringing together players from 14 Asian nations across two weeks of singles and doubles competition.

India finished on top after the opening week before ending the tournament as runners-up to Chinese Taipei overall. That performance secured multiple places at the 2026 Wimbledon 14 & Under Championships.

	Puneeth Manohar	Srishti Kiran
Age	13	13
State	Karnataka	Karnataka
Trains at	Roundglass Tennis Academy, Chandigarh	RPS Tennis Academy, Florida, after training at KSLTA and Tennis Advantage Academy in Bengaluru
Week 1	Won boys’ singles after saving a match point in the final	Runner-up in girls’ singles
Week 2	Runner-up in boys’ doubles	Runner-up in girls’ singles again
Current ranking	AITA Boys’ Under-14 No. 1	ITF Under-13 World No. 1
Also selected for	ITF Asian 14 & Under Touring Team	Grand Slam Player Development Programme

Here’s how Puneeth and Srishti got there.Puneeth trains at the same Chandigarh academy that has developed leading Indian players including Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri.

Srishti’s journey has taken her across two continents. After beginning her tennis career in Bengaluru, she moved to Florida to train at RPS Tennis Academy. Five consecutive junior titles helped her climb to a career-high ITF junior ranking of 357, making her the highest-ranked 13-year-old girl in the world.

Both players have also been selected for the Grand Slam Player Development Programme, an ITF initiative that gives promising juniors access to elite coaching and competition in Europe.

Qualifying for Wimbledon is a major milestone, but selection to this programme could prove just as valuable, helping both players continue their development well beyond this year’s Championships.

The sacrifices that shaped the journey

Srishti’s journey began with her father, Kiran Gopalrajan. His own cricket ambitions ended because of financial limitations, and he was determined that his daughter would have every opportunity to pursue her sporting dream.

She picked up a racquet at the age of four and a half at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association before spending four years training under Dhyan Uthappa at Tennis Advantage Academy in Bengaluru.

A strong performance at the Orange Bowl changed the direction of her career.

Her results caught the attention of Gabe Jaramillo’s team at RPS Tennis Academy in Florida, leading the family to make a life-changing decision. Her father moved with her to the United States on a tourist visa and stepped away from his businesses in India, while her mother remained in Bengaluru to manage things back home.

Their story reflects the commitment that often sits behind junior sport, where families make difficult decisions long before results begin to show. Today, Srishti balances school with around four hours of tennis training every day while working towards her goal of becoming one of the world’s best young players.

After qualifying for Wimbledon, Srishti said:

“Qualifying for Wimbledon is a dream come true, and I am looking forward to competing on grass at such a prestigious venue.”

For Puneeth, qualifying for Wimbledon marked the reward for years of disciplined training, quiet perseverance and one unforgettable comeback in Colombo.

Indian players at Wimbledon over the years

India’s Wimbledon junior history stretches back more than seven decades.

Year	Player	Achievement
1954	Ramanathan Krishnan	First Asian player to win the Wimbledon boys’ singles title
1979	Ramesh Krishnan	Won the boys’ singles title after also winning the French Open juniors
1990	Leander Paes	Won the boys’ singles title and finished as junior world No. 1
2015	Mahak Jain	First Indian girl to win the Road to Wimbledon Under-14 title
2015	Sumit Nagal	Won the Wimbledon boys’ doubles title with Vietnam’s Ly Hoang Nam
2021	Samir Banerjee	Won the boys’ singles title representing the United States

There’s another interesting connection.

Puneeth now trains at the same academy as Sumit Nagal, one of India’s most successful junior Wimbledon champions.

Unlike Mahak Jain, who qualified through the Road to Wimbledon event held in India, Puneeth and Srishti earned their places through the Asian pathway. Their qualification came through performances against the continent’s best juniors rather than a domestic qualifying tournament.

Their success reflects the growing strength of India’s junior tennis pathway, with young players increasingly proving themselves on the international stage before reaching Wimbledon.

Why this story matters

This year’s Wimbledon has once again highlighted the challenge of producing Indian singles players at the senior level. While the country’s representation came in the doubles draw, Puneeth Manohar and Srishti Kiran were quietly earning their own place at the All England Club through performances on the junior circuit.

Their journey has been built on years of training in Bengaluru and Chandigarh, weeks of competition in Colombo, and countless hours of work that rarely make headlines.

In London, they’ll compete on the Wimbledon Under-14 courts, where coaches, families and scouts gather to watch some of the world’s most promising young players. For many future champions, this tournament is the first step onto one of tennis’ biggest stages.

For Puneeth and Srishti, that journey has already begun.

Sources

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