Bengaluru, Nov. 29 -- Karnataka's rising tennis star Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha has not only secured a spot in the men's doubles main draw of the 2026 Australian Open but has also been rewarded Rs 1,00,000 by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) for his outstanding performance.
Poonacha, partnering Thailand's Pruchya Isaro, won the Asia-Pacific Wildcard Playoff in Chengdu, China, defeating top pairs including Japan's Seita Kusuhara and Katsuki Nakagawa in the final with a 6-4, 6-3 scoreline. This victory earns him his first-ever Grand Slam main draw appearance.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from United News of India....