Arnav Paparkar Stuns Junior World No. 17 at Roland-Garros; Maaya Exits After Brave Fight

Indian junior tennis witnessed a day of contrasting fortunes at Roland-Garros 2026 as Arnav Paparkar produced one of the biggest wins of his young career, while Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi's impressive campaign came to an end after a hard-fought battle against a top seed.

Adding to the positive news for Indian tennis, Paparkar also progressed in the boys' doubles competition alongside Thailand's Pantaratorn, ensuring continued Indian interest in the junior draws in Paris.

The standout result of the day belonged to Arnav Paparkar. The Indian youngster delivered a commanding performance to defeat Chinese Taipei's Kuan-Shou Chen, the Junior World No. 17 and 15th seed, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the boys' singles event.

Coming into the match, Chen was widely considered the favourite due to his higher ranking and strong performances on the ITF junior circuit. However, Paparkar showed little sign of nerves and controlled the contest from the outset. The Indian used his height effectively on serve and dictated rallies from the baseline, consistently putting pressure on the left-handed Chen.

The first set was particularly impressive. Paparkar broke early and never allowed his opponent to settle, racing through the set 6-2. The second set proved more competitive, but the Indian continued to play with confidence and maturity beyond his years. He maintained his composure in key moments and sealed a memorable 6-4 victory.

The result marks one of the biggest wins of Paparkar's junior career and continues an excellent Roland-Garros debut for the Indian. Having already secured his maiden Grand Slam main draw victory in the opening round, Paparkar has now advanced into the third round of the tournament.

His reward will be another challenging encounter against the winner of the match between American Kennedy and France's Jade.

Paparkar's day became even more memorable when he returned to the court for the boys' doubles competition. Partnering Thailand's Pantaratorn, the Indo-Thai pair battled through a tense opening-round encounter to secure a place in the second round. The match was decided by fine margins, particularly during a dramatic first-set tiebreak.

Trailing 5-6, Paparkar and his partner faced a set point but showed excellent composure to save it and keep their hopes alive.

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That moment proved crucial. The pair went on to seize control of the match and eventually secured victory, progressing to the next stage of the tournament. The challenge now becomes significantly tougher. In the second round, the Indo-Thai combination will face the top-seeded pair of Joao Pedro Miguel of Brazil and Ziga Sesko of Slovenia, one of the strongest teams in the draw.

Nevertheless, after Paparkar's impressive singles performance, confidence within the camp will be high.

While Paparkar celebrated a breakthrough day, fellow Indian teenager Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi saw her singles campaign come to an end. The 16-year-old produced a spirited performance against Russia's Mariia Makarova, the Junior World No. 14, before eventually losing 6-7(6), 4-6 in a highly competitive second-round contest.

The scoreline only tells part of the story. For much of the match, Maaya matched one of the most accomplished players in junior tennis.

She raced into a 5-3 lead in the opening set and looked poised to take a significant advantage. However, Makarova demonstrated why she is regarded as one of the favourites for the title. The Russian fought back strongly and eventually forced a tiebreak. Even there, Maaya came agonisingly close to taking the set. The Indian earned a set point but was unable to convert, as Makarova raised her level in the crucial moments to edge the tiebreak 8-6. 

Losing such a closely contested first set was a blow, but Maaya continued to compete aggressively in the second. Despite her efforts, Makarova's superior firepower eventually proved decisive.

The Russian finished the match with 28 winners compared to Maaya's 16, highlighting the quality of shot-making that separated the two players. She closed out the second set 6-4 to advance.

Although the defeat ended her tournament, Maaya leaves Paris with plenty of positives. The Indian won her opening-round match on her Roland-Garros debut and demonstrated that she can compete with some of the world's leading junior players. Her performance against Makarova was particularly encouraging given the Russian's remarkable record on the junior circuit.

Makarova entered the match with an extraordinary 81-9 win-loss record in ITF junior events and has won 10 of the 19 tournaments she has played. For Maaya to push such an accomplished opponent to the limit reflects the progress she has made over the past year.

Despite Maaya's exit, Indian tennis continues to enjoy a productive tournament in Paris. Paparkar's run into the third round of the boys' singles draw is one of India's best performances in the junior event in recent years, while his progress in doubles adds further optimism. Meanwhile, Maaya's performances throughout the tournament reinforced her status as one of the country's brightest young prospects. As Roland-Garros enters its decisive stages, Indian hopes now rest largely on Paparkar's shoulders.

After upsetting a top-20 junior and advancing in doubles, the Indian teenager has already shown that he belongs on one of junior tennis' biggest stages.