“Landmark moment for Indian Soft Tennis”: President Murmu hails Jay Meena’s Asian Games bronze

New Delhi [India], September 23 (ANI): President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday congratulated Jay Meena after the Indian athlete scripted history by winning the country’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis, securing bronze in the men’s singles event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. President Murmu called Meena’s success a “landmark moment for Indian Soft Tennis.”
In an X post, the President congratulated Jay Meena for winning India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in soft tennis, calling his bronze medal achievement a landmark moment that would inspire young athletes to take up the sport.
“A landmark moment for Indian Soft Tennis! Heartiest congratulations to Jay Meena on securing Bronze Medal in Men’s Singles Soft Tennis event at the Asian Games 2026. Your historic performance has earned India its first-ever medal in this discipline at the Games. This milestone achievement will inspire young athletes to pursue the sport and aim higher. May you continue to achieve greater success and bring glory to the nation,” reads the post on X.
Meena’s campaign ended in the semi-finals, where he lost 2-4 to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka. The Indian dropped the first three sets before fighting back to win the fourth and fifth sets and reduce the deficit to 2-3.
However, Kurosaka won the sixth set 4-1 to seal the contest. The final scoreline was 3-5, 1-4, 1-4, 4-1, 6-4, 1-4, according to ESPN.
Meena had earlier secured his place in the semi-finals by defeating the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit in a thrilling quarter-final. With all semi-finalists assured of a medal, his victory guaranteed India a historic podium finish in the sport.
On Wednesday, India added several medals to its tally at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. India currently stands at 13th spot in the medal standings with 12 medals to their name. 
Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the women’s 49kg weightlifting category, while the Indian men’s badminton team secured bronze after losing 3-1 to China in the semi-final. 
In shooting, Raiza Dhillon, Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan clinched bronze in the women’s skeet team event, while Anantjeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Bhavtegh Singh also won bronze in the men’s skeet team event. (ANI)