Brands look to serve up an ace in Indian tennis

With the French Open beginning on Sunday, a persistent image associated with the Grand Slam for two decades has been of Rafael Nadal.

- SARTHAK CHOUDHURY

With the French Open beginning on Sunday, a persistent image associated with the Grand Slam for two decades has been of Rafael Nadal. The 14-time French Open's champions on-field duels with Roger Federer and later with Novak Djokovic have been etched in the memories of people who have viewed the sport. Last year, the man, who competed at the Roland Garros 115 times, made his final appearance on the clay court, losing to Alexander Zverev in a three-set thriller in the first round. Nadal went on to retire from the sport a few months later.

Nadal's shadow looms not only over the Grand Slam he won the most but over the people he trains. Earlier this year, images circulated online of 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi training at the Radal Nadal Academy in Spain under Nadal's tutelage.

Revathi entered the Mumbai Open 2025 as a wildcard but walked out as India's next tennis sensation.

The 15-year-old grabbed the tennis world's attention during the WTA 125 tournament, where she defied all expectations by reaching the semi-final—after starting from the qualifying rounds—in what was just her fifth professional event.

Going into the tournament unranked, Maaya upset much more established names like world No 225 Iryna Shymanovich and Japan's world No 285 Mei Yamaguchi outright.