India is assured of a rare medal in tennis at the ongoing World University Games, thanks to Vaishnavi Adkar's heroics, who stormed into the women’s singles semifinals on Tuesday. The 20-year-old’s achievement stood out on an otherwise disappointing day for the Indian contingent across disciplines.

Adkar put on a clinical display to defeat local favourite Sina Herrmann 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. She will now take on Slovakia’s Eszter Meri in the semifinals on Thursday. With both losing semifinalists awarded bronze medals in tennis at the Games, Adkar is guaranteed a podium finish. Her run ensures that India will return with a medal in tennis for the first time in over four decades. The last and only Indian to win a tennis medal at the Games was Nandan Bal, who claimed silver in men’s singles in the 1979 edition in Mexico City.

While Adkar’s success brought some much-needed cheer, Indian athletes struggled in most other events. India’s only other medal so far has come from the badminton mixed team event, as the Games enter their second week.