NewKerala.com

French Star Jeanjean Praises Indian Tennis Talent at Mumbai Open

Third seed Leolia Jeanjean has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K. She praised the high quality and potential of Indian women tennis players like Sahaja Yamalapalli and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi. Jeanjean, who made a successful comeback to pro tennis after a serious knee injury, is enjoying her form in Mumbai. Her current goal is to break into the world's top 70 by maintaining consistency and a positive mindset.

Key Points: Jeanjean: Indian Players Have Potential to Beat Anyone

  • Jeanjean praises Indian players' quality
  • Highlights need for more international exposure
  • Shares her comeback from injury
  • Aims for top 70 ranking consistency
2 min read

Mumbai Open WTA 125K: 'Indian players have the potential to beat anyone,' says third seed Jeanjean

French tennis star Leolia Jeanjean praises the quality of Indian women players at the Mumbai Open WTA 125K, highlighting their potential.

"They have the potential to play against anybody here and beat anyone. - Leolia Jeanjean"

Mumbai, Feb 6

Third seed Leolia Jeanjean believes Indian women players have the quality and potential to challenge top opponents, as she progressed to the quarterfinals of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association courts on Friday.

The world No. 115 French player, who is enjoying her good start to the 2026 season, praised the depth in Indian women's tennis after opening her singles campaign against India's Vaishnavi Adkar.

"I think India has really good players. Even last year, I played Sahaja (Yamalapalli), and she's really good. Maaya (Rajeshwaran Revathi) also has incredible potential. The quality of tennis is really high. They have the potential to play against anybody here and beat anyone," Jeanjean said.

The 30-year-old added that greater exposure at the international level could help Indian players become more consistent. "Maybe they just need to play more tournaments to be more consistent at this level," she noted.

Jeanjean, who is also competing in the doubles draw alongside Switzerland's Naima Karamoko, expressed satisfaction with her performances so far in Mumbai.

"I played two really good matches. A couple of days ago, it was my first win of the season, so I'm really happy. The conditions are good, the people are nice and the organisation is really good. It has been a wonderful experience so far," she said.

The Frenchwoman has steadily climbed the rankings over the past few seasons and has featured in the main draws of the French Open, US Open and Australian Open. One of the highlights of her career came at the 2022 French Open, where she reached the third round and registered her first win over a top-10 player by defeating Karolina Pliskova.

Jeanjean's career, however, has not been without challenges. A serious knee injury at the age of 15 forced her to step away from professional tennis for several years. After undergoing surgery, she later moved to the United States and played collegiate tennis before returning to the professional circuit full-time at the age of 25.

Looking ahead, Jeanjean said consistency and mindset remain her key goals. "The aim is to be more consistent in these tournaments, try to break through and push towards the top 70. It's not easy, so the key is to keep a good mindset, stay positive on court and enjoy the process," she said.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Jeanjean is spot on about needing more tournaments. Our players often have to travel abroad for every competition, which is expensive. Hope the federation is listening and will host more WTA events.
A
Aman W
Potential is one thing, converting it into consistent results is another. We've been hearing about "potential" for years. When will we see an Indian woman break into the top 100 and stay there? The system needs to improve.
S
Sarah B
What an inspiring story Jeanjean has herself! Coming back from a serious injury and climbing the rankings. Her praise means a lot. Wishing her and all the Indian players the best in Mumbai.
V
Vikram M
Great to see the Mumbai Open getting such positive feedback. The MSLTA courts are world-class. Hope this becomes a regular feature on the calendar and helps our girls get that crucial match practice against international opponents.
K
Kavya N
Shoutout to Vaishnavi Adkar, Sahaja Yamalapalli, and Maaya Revathi! Keep working hard. The nation is behind you. Let's create a strong bench strength in women's tennis. 💪

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50