Adkar-Bhosale Make History as First All-Indian Pair to Reach WTA 250 Final in Chennai Open

The Indian duo defeat second seeds Falkowska and Smith in a match tie-break, while defending champion Janice Tjen sets up a title clash against Magda Linette.

Indian tennis witnessed another significant milestone at the Chennai Open on Saturday as Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale became the first all-Indian pair to reach a WTA 250 doubles final. The duo defeated second seeds Weronika Falkowska of Poland and Alana Smith of the USA 6-2, 2-6, [10-8] in a gripping semi-final at the SDAT Tennis Stadium.

Their victory adds another landmark moment to Chennai's long association with Indian tennis, while giving the home crowd an all-Indian pairing to support in Sunday's title match.

For 21-year-old Adkar, the result marks her first appearance in a WTA final. Bhosale, 30, has gone one step further than last year's Chennai Open, when she reached the doubles semi-finals. The two players showed composure under pressure to overcome a seeded international combination and secure their place in the championship match.

The Indian pair made an assertive start to the semi-final, taking the opening set 6-2 after breaking their opponents twice. Their effective serving and ability to put pressure on Falkowska and Smith gave them early control of the contest.

The second seeds responded strongly in the second set. Falkowska and Smith raised their level, broke the Indian pair twice and won the set 6-2 to force a deciding match tie-break. With a place in the final at stake, the contest came down to the first-to-10 match tie-break. Adkar and Bhosale maintained their composure in the closing exchanges, edging it 10-8 to complete the victory.

For Bhosale, the achievement carries particular significance after last year's semi-final exit.

“It’s really special. The last time, I lost in the semi-finals, but that was a breakthrough moment for me. This time, I knew we had a tough opponent in the semi-finals. Making our first WTA final together, especially with Vaish, feels surreal,” she said.

Adkar also spoke about how the partnership came together and what the achievement means to her. “I was surprised when Rutuja asked me to partner her for doubles. It has always been fun sharing the court with her, and I’m really glad that I’ve reached my first WTA final,” she said.

Chennai's tradition of Indian tennis breakthroughs

The achievement continues a tradition that stretches back nearly three decades. Chennai has repeatedly provided Indian players with important career milestones, beginning when the tournament was known as the Gold Flake Open and formed part of the ATP World Series in 1997.

That year, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi won their first ATP Tour doubles title together in Chennai. The pair returned to win the title in 1998 and 1999 before reaching the World No. 1 ranking in doubles later that year.

Other Indian players have also enjoyed breakthrough moments at the tournament. Rohan Bopanna reached his first ATP-level doubles final in 2006, partnering Prakash Amritraj. Somdev Devvarman made his first Chennai Open singles final in 2009, while Ramkumar Ramanathan reached his first ATP 250-level singles quarter-final at the event in 2016.

This year's edition has added two more notable milestones. Seventeen-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi reached the singles quarter-finals, becoming the first Indian since Sania Mirza in 2012 to achieve the feat. Adkar and Bhosale have now become the first all-Indian pair to reach a WTA 250 doubles final.

In the women's singles, defending champion and top seed Janice Tjen continued her title defence with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over American Robin Montgomery. The Indonesian needed one hour and 23 minutes to secure her place in a second consecutive Chennai Open final. She controlled the contest with an assured performance, striking six aces and 22 winners compared to Montgomery's one ace and 17 winners.

Tjen also converted three of her six break-point opportunities and won 64 points during the match, while Montgomery managed 49. The 24-year-old said her growing connection with the city had made returning to the final particularly special, especially after what she described as a difficult year.

“I can’t lie, it really is becoming a second home. To be back in the final, especially after a tough year, means a lot. Being able to reach another final here is an amazing feeling,” Tjen said. Asked about her plans to celebrate Diwali ahead of Sunday's final, she indicated that recovery would come first.

“Recovery is the first priority. We’ll see tomorrow if we have some time to celebrate,” she added.

Tjen will face third seed Magda Linette of Poland in Sunday's singles final. Linette booked her place in the championship match with a comeback victory over seventh seed Anastasia Zakharova, winning 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The Chennai Open will conclude on Sunday, November 8, with both the women's singles and doubles finals. For Indian tennis, the spotlight will be firmly on Adkar and Bhosale as they attempt to turn their historic semi-final victory into a maiden WTA 250 doubles title for an all-Indian pairing.