India’s steady climb up the world game continued through the spring of 2026, with Sreeja Akula holding the country’s top women’s singles ranking ahead of Manika Batra — both inside the world’s top 30, the deepest the Indian women’s game has been.
The progress has been built on the WTT circuit. Indian players have featured prominently in the Contender doubles draws — Manush Shah taking two titles in Lagos — while Batra and Akula have pushed into the latter rounds of Champions-level events over the past two seasons.
From breakthrough to baseline
What once counted as a breakthrough — an Indian woman in the world’s top 25 — is now the baseline. With both leading players established inside the elite and a generation following behind, India is increasingly a fixture on the international podiums rather than a visitor.