Jay Meena scripted history at the 2023 Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, clinching India's first-ever medal in soft tennis at the continental Games with a bronze in the men's singles event. The milestone capped a remarkable tournament run and moved coach Sudesh Sangte to tears, with the veteran mentor describing the moment as the fulfilment of 22 years of dedicated work.

How the Historic Bronze Was Won

Meena secured the bronze medal by reaching the men's singles semifinal, where he went down 2-4 to Japan's Takuya Kurosaka. In the Asian Games format, a semifinal defeat guarantees a bronze, making the result official. The more gripping moment, however, came in the quarterfinal against Sherwin Nuguit, where Meena found himself trailing 3-5 in the deciding game before staging a stunning comeback — winning the next four consecutive points to seal a 4-3 victory and advance to the last four.

Coach Sangte: '22 Years of Hard Work Fulfilled'

Sangte, who has coached Meena since the athlete was 10 years old, said the achievement went beyond sport. 'We have worked hard for 22 years. I played soft tennis with Jay Meena when he was 10 years old. He has won medals in singles, mixed doubles and World Championships. He has also won a medal in the last Asian Games in China. He has given us and India a gift. I am very happy and emotional,' the coach said.

Breaking down further, Sangte added: 'I have shed a lot of tears on the ground. My 22 years of hard work have been fulfilled. I hope that many such children will play soft tennis in India. We will win many medals.'

The coach also credited the Indian government for organising a 20-day training camp in Japan ahead of the Games. 'First of all, I would like to congratulate the Indian government. For the last 20 days, they have set up a camp here. I would like to thank them for their hard work. We have benefited a lot,' he said. 'This is the first time that the Indian soft tennis team has won a medal in singles. We have made history in India.'

A Medal Meant for PM Modi's Birthday

Sangte revealed that the team had originally hoped to win the medal on 18 September and dedicate it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday. 'We wanted to celebrate this medal on the birthday of our country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We wanted to give this medal on his birthday,' the coach said. The team's campaign had begun with disappointment on that very date, when the men's team lost its quarterfinal against Indonesia on 18 September. Meena and partner Aadhya Tiwari also exited in the pre-quarterfinals of the mixed doubles before Meena turned the tournament around with his singles run.

Meena's Growing Medal Cabinet

The bronze adds to an impressive list of firsts for the 26-year-old athlete. Meena won men's singles gold at the 2022 National Games, became national champion in 2025, and claimed India's first-ever World Soft Tennis Championships medal in 2024 alongside Tiwari in mixed doubles. He also became the first Indian to win a medal at the Asian Soft Tennis Championships in 2025. The team overcame logistical challenges during the campaign as well — Sangte noted that the players had faced difficulties with food and had brought some provisions from India. With soft tennis now on the national medal map at the Asian Games, attention turns to whether the sport can attract greater grassroots investment ahead of future editions.