Group 4 Round Robin Ends with 1-2 Defeat for India
The Group 4 round‑robin stage of the Under‑14 World Tennis Junior Team Finals concluded with India suffering a narrow 1‑2 loss to Italy in Prostejov.
India's first singles match featured Padma Pria Ramesh Kumar, who fought bravely but fell 4‑6, 4‑6 to Italy's Julia Luchetti. Srishti Kiran then turned the tide, delivering a powerful 6‑0, 6‑3 victory over Italy's top‑ranked junior Olivia Serena Contisello, bringing the tie level.
The doubles rubber, however, tilted the balance. The Indian duo of Padma Pria and Srishti were outplayed by Luchetti and Contisello, who secured the match 6‑3, 6‑4, finalising the 1‑2 result.
India's campaign also featured a close 1‑2 defeat against Japan earlier in the round‑robin, where Padma Pria lost 1‑6, 5‑7 and Srishti staged a remarkable comeback against Shina Okuyama (7‑5, 6‑3). Japan won the decisive doubles 6‑3, 6‑1.
The Indian team, guided by captain Asha Sharma, earned its spot in the World Finals after a fourth‑place finish at the April 2026 Asian/Oceanic qualifier in Kuching, Malaysia, and will next face Morocco in a concluding round‑robin encounter.