Bengaluru: Young tennis sensation Srishti Kiran from Bengaluru has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the highest-ranked Under-13 player in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior World Rankings. The achievement follows a remarkable run of performances on the international junior circuit, further cementing her reputation as one of India’s most promising young athletes.

Srishti climbed to a career-best ITF junior ranking of No. 357 after winning five consecutive ITF junior titles and finishing runner-up at the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors J100 event in Guatemala last week. Her ranking now places her above all other players aged 13 and under in the world rankings.

Rapid rise in international rankings

What makes the achievement particularly impressive is that Srishti reached the milestone after competing in only eight ranking tournaments.

The ITF junior rankings are calculated using a player’s best results from up to 10 tournaments. Despite participating in two fewer ranking events than the maximum allowed, the Bengaluru teenager accumulated enough points to emerge as the world’s top-ranked player in her age category.

Her recent performances have showcased remarkable consistency and maturity against older and more experienced competitors on the international circuit.

Srishti delighted with achievement

Reacting to the accomplishment, Srishti expressed happiness at reaching the top position among players in her age group.

She said the achievement was not something she had specifically targeted at the beginning of the year, but credited the support and hard work of her coaches, family and support staff for helping her reach the milestone.

The young player noted that the progress reflects the effort invested in her training and competitive development over the years.

Tennis journey began at age four

Srishti is a Class 8 student at Baldwin Girls’ High School in Bengaluru. Her parents, Vinaya Kiran and Kiran Gopalrajan, run a retail showroom in the city.

According to reports, her father, a former athlete who once aspired to become a cricketer, identified her sporting potential at an early age and encouraged her to pursue tennis seriously.

She began playing tennis at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association when she was just over four years old. Currently, she trains under coach Dhyan Uthappa at the Tennis Advantage Academy in Bengaluru.

Early success on the junior circuit

Srishti’s rise through the junior ranks has been marked by several notable achievements.

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 won the Under-10 Global Junior Tour Dubai Bowl and represented India successfully at international competitions.

She also played a key role in helping India secure back-to-back gold medals at the ITF World Junior Tennis regional qualifiers, highlighting her ability to perform on the international stage from a young age.

Eyes set on bigger challenges

Following her latest achievement, Srishti is now preparing for the next phase of her development on the global junior circuit.

She is expected to compete in a prestigious J300 tournament in the United Kingdom, regarded as one of the leading junior events ahead of the Wimbledon Championships.

With her rapid rise in the rankings and continued success against top junior players, Srishti Kiran is increasingly being viewed as one of India’s brightest tennis prospects and a future contender on the international stage.