Indian tennis may have found its next big star.
At just 13 years old, Bengaluru's Srishti Kiran has climbed to the top of the global Under-13 rankings after a remarkable run on the ITF junior circuit, emerging as one of the brightest young prospects in world tennis.
The teenager recently achieved a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 357 after winning five consecutive ITF junior titles and finishing runner-up at a J100 event in Guatemala. The surge has made her the highest-ranked Under-13 player in the world, a rare achievement for an Indian tennis player.
What makes the feat even more impressive is that Srishti reached the milestone despite competing in only eight ranking events, while the ITF junior rankings are calculated using a player's
best 10 tournaments.
"I'm really happy to become World No. 1 in my age group. It's something I wasn't thinking about at the start of the year, but all the hard work with my coaches, family and support team is paying off," Srishti said.
"The last few weeks have been very special. Winning five titles in a row and then reaching another final has given me a lot of confidence. At the same time, I know there is still a long way to go and many things I need to improve in my game. "
Who is Srishti Kiran?
Srishti, who turns 14 this week, is an eighth-grade student at Baldwin Girls' High School in Bengaluru.
Her parents, Vinaya Kiran and Kiran Gopalrajan, run a retail showroom in the city. Her father, a former athlete who once dreamed of becoming a cricketer, recognised her sporting talent at a very young age and committed himself to supporting her development.
"Even when Srishti was 3 years old, she was faster and smarter than kids of her age," her father told Deccan Herald. "When I saw Srishti doing things beyond her age, that's when I realised she could be nurtured into an athlete. "
She began playing tennis at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association when she was just four-and-a-half years old and currently trains under coach Dhyan Uthappa at Tennis Advantage Academy in Bengaluru.
A history of breaking records
Srishti's rise has been rapid.
At the age of seven, she became the youngest player in India to win consecutive All India Tennis Association (AITA) Under-10 Championships. She later captured the U-10 Global Junior Tour Dubai Bowl title and helped India win back-to-back gold medals at the ITF World Junior Tennis regional qualifiers.
Her recent dominance on the international junior circuit has now propelled her to the top of the Under-13 rankings, placing her ahead of peers from traditional tennis powerhouses across Europe and the Americas.
Shrishti Kiran: the road ahead
Srishti's next challenge comes in the United Kingdom, where she is set to compete in a prestigious J300 tournament ahead of Wimbledon.
While India has produced Grand Slam champions in doubles and several successful professionals, the country has never had a singles player break into the world's top 10 at senior level. Former star Vijay Amritraj remains India's highest-ranked singles player, reaching World No. 18 in 1980.
For now, Srishti remains focused on the next step of her development. But after becoming the world's top-ranked Under-13 player, Indian tennis fans have every reason to believe they may be witnessing the early chapters of a very special career.