Mumbai, Jan 22 (IANS) The Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series is returning for its fifth edition, beginning with the qualifying draw on January 30, followed by the main draw starting February 2 at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in Mumbai.
The series has established itself as one of India’s leading women’s tennis tournaments, featuring top international players such as four-time Grand Slam champion and current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
This season, eight players in the main draw are ranked in the top 150 worldwide, enhancing the tournament’s reputation as a leading global event. Additionally, it provides Indian fans a chance to see the best women’s tennis players in live competition.
Before the tournament begins, here’s a list of top international players participating in the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series this year:
Lulu Sun
The New Zealand tennis player, with a career-high ranking of 39, is currently ranked 86. At 24, she has gained considerable experience by competing in all four Grand Slams. Her standout moment was at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships when she defeated World No. 8 Zheng Qinwen in the first round, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. This victory was her first against a Top 10 player and helped her reach the quarterfinals as a qualifier. Additionally, she beat former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, in the fourth round of the same tournament. Lulu Sun’s strong performances in last year’s Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 earned her a place in the All-Star Team, as she was unbeaten in singles and doubles, contributing to New Zealand’s advancement to the play-offs.
Darja Semenistaja
The Latvian tennis star is returning for this year’s Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series, after winning the title in Mumbai in 2024. She made a remarkable comeback in the final, defeating Australia’s Storm Hunter 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 to secure the victory. With a career-high ranking of 87 and currently ranked 98, Darja Semenistaja has earned 18 ITF Singles titles and continues to improve her position through consistent performance on clay and hard courts.
Leolia Jeanjean
Currently ranked 103, French tennis player Leolia Jeanjean has won four ITF Singles titles. Her career-high ranking was 91, and she has participated in all four Grand Slams. Her most notable achievement came at the 2022 Roland Garros, where she beat World No. 8 Karolina Pliskova in the second round and reached the third round, ranked 227. This made her the lowest-ranked player to defeat a Top 10 opponent at the tournament since Conchita Martínez did so in 1988. As the third-highest-ranked player in the Mumbai Open, Jeanjean is poised to leave her mark on the tournament.
Kimberly Birrell
The German-born Australian player has reached a career-high ranking of 60 and has secured 7 ITF Singles titles. After enduring a long-term injury from 2019 to 2023, she made a notable comeback, participating in six Grand Slam tournaments since her recovery. Her most significant win was at the 2025 Brisbane International, where she defeated World No. 8 Emma Navarro in the second round. Now ranked 76, Kimberly Birrell aims to leverage her recent momentum at the Mumbai Open.
Joanna Garland
Joanna Garland, the top-ranked singles player in Chinese Taipei, is currently ranked 117th worldwide, her career best. Born in England, she has competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments since last year. At this year’s Australian Open, she reached the final of the 1 Point Slam, a distinctive knockout event at Rod Laver Arena where players compete for a single point. She defeated notable opponents like Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, Maria Sakkari, and Donna Vekic. With 17 ITF singles titles, the 24-year-old aims to add more to her collection as she continues to rise as a prominent player on the women’s tennis circuit.
Mananchaya Sawangkaew
Mananchaya Sawangkaew, the runner-up in last season’s Mumbai Open 125K Series, returns for this edition, aiming to go all the way this time. She qualified for the Singapore main draw in 2025 by upsetting No. 1 seed Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals, but an injury forced her to withdraw. Despite this setback, she bounced back strongly, climbing the rankings to reach a career-high of 100 last year. With four ITF singles titles, the Thai star (currently ranked 197) is eager to add more titles in the upcoming tournament.
Arantxa Rus
With her career-high singles ranking of 41 in August 2023, the Dutch left-hander now competes with a current singles ranking of 133. An experienced player on the professional circuit, Rus boasts over ten years of high-level competition, regularly participating in Grand Slams, WTA Tour events, and WTA 125 tournaments. Her most notable victories include an upset over World No. 2 Kim Clijsters in the second round of the 2011 French Open, reaching the fourth round there in 2012, and defeating World No. 5 Samantha Stosur at Wimbledon in 2012 to reach the third round. She claimed her first WTA singles title at the 2023 Hamburg European Open and has secured four WTA doubles titles, along with numerous WTA 125 trophies and various ITF titles.
The fifth edition of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series will start with qualifying rounds on January 30 and 31. After the qualifiers, the main draw will begin on February 2. All matches will be held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA). Additionally, Indian players will have a chance to compete through wildcard entries, which will be confirmed before the tournament starts.
–IANS
vi/bc
