Mumbai’s tennis fervor reached new heights on Wednesday at the 2026 Mumbai Open WTA 125 series. Hosted at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association courts, the day delivered edge-of-the-seat action as top seed Darja Semenistaja and Lioletta Jeanjean secured their spots in the quarterfinals. Mananchaya Sawangkeew and Mei Yamaguchi also advanced in singles, keeping fans glued to the proceedings.
In doubles, India’s Prarthana Thombare and her partner Elevtina Ibrahimova faced heartbreak, bowing out in the quarterfinals. The spotlight kicked off with Semenistaja’s gritty battle against Japan’s Mai Hontama. The Latvian star, last year’s champion, trailed early in the first set but mounted a stunning comeback to claim it 6-4. The second set went to a tiebreak, where she dominated 7-3, sealing a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) victory after nearly two hours.
Over on Court 1, Japan’s Mei Yamaguchi clashed with Yasmin Kabaj in a marathon three-setter lasting 2 hours and 40 minutes. Down after losing the first set 4-6, Yamaguchi roared back to take the next 6-4 and edged a thrilling tiebreak 7-5 in the decider, advancing with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) win.
Third seed Lioletta Jeanjean made light work of Japan’s Miho Kuramochii on center court, cruising to a 6-3, 6-3 straight-sets triumph. The French player’s career-high ranking of 91 shone through in her composed performance. Last season’s runner-up, Mananchaya Sawangkeew, dismantled Misaki Matsuda 6-4, 6-1, showcasing her form.
Doubles action saw Thombare and Ibrahimova outclassed 6-1, 6-1 by second seeds Polina Iatcenko and Elena Pridankina, who marched to the semifinals. The day wrapped with Semenistaja and Zuzana Pavlikovska falling 6-0, 6-4 to Hiroko Kuwata and Park So-Hyun. As the tournament heats up, expect more high-stakes drama in Mumbai.