India, Feb. 7 -- Playing a WTA event in Mumbai wasn't in the plan of Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, whose extended stay in India was meant for Europe visa formalities. Unranked and only 15, she received a call for a wildcard entry into the qualifying draw of the WTA L&T Mumbai Open, and turned up to give it a shot. The wildcard qualifier has now turned main draw semi-finalist.

"It means a lot," said Maaya. "This wasn't part of my plans, but they gave me an opportunity. And here it is now."

Here she is, after a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win over Japan's 285th-ranked Mei Yamaguchi in the quarter-finals on Friday. Here she is, as the first Indian singles player to reach this far at the WTA 125 event in Mumbai and the first since Sania Mirza in any WTA hom...