‘She was my pride’: Tennis star shot dead by father amid ego, shame and rage

Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old national-level tennis player-turned-coach, was shot dead by her father at their home in Gurugram’s Sector 57 on July 10 morning — allegedly for defying his demand to shut down her tennis academy and for enduring whispers about her success.

The murder unfolded inside the family kitchen as Radhika prepared a special meal for her mother’s birthday. Her father, Deepak Yadav, walked in, pulled out his licensed 32 bore revolver, and shot her from behind—three bullets ending a young life that had once represented the family's brightest hopes.

“She was living on her own terms,” said a senior police officer. “He couldn’t stand it.”

Deepak, who confessed to the murder during police questioning, said he had been angered by villagers' taunts accusing him of living off his daughter’s earnings. He also cited unfounded rumours questioning her character, which he claimed deeply disturbed him. His rage, he said, had been simmering for months.

Radhika’s uncle, Kuldeep Yadav, filed the police complaint. “She was like a daughter to me,” he said. “I never thought something like this could happen in our home.”

A morning turned nightmare

The killing took place around 10:30 am. Radhika was alone in the kitchen, while her mother Manju Yadav—ill with fever—rested in her room. Only the three of them were home. Their son, Dheeraj, was at work, and Kuldeep and his son Piyush were downstairs when they heard gunshots ring out.

By the time they reached the first floor, Radhika was lying in a pool of blood. The murder weapon sat on a table nearby—five empty shells and one live round still inside.

The young athlete was rushed to Asia Maringo Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

From courts to coaching

Once a national-level tennis player, Radhika had earned accolades and trophies before a shoulder injury ended her competitive career. But her love for the game endured. She opened a tennis academy, where she coached young children.

“She wanted to give back to the sport,” said a friend who trained with her. “She was building something beautiful.”

But her dreams clashed with her father's demands. Deepak repeatedly told her to close the academy. When she refused, resentment brewed.

According to the FIR, Deepak told police he “snapped” on the morning of July 10. His daughter was cooking—perhaps a cake, perhaps her mother’s favorite meal. He walked into the kitchen with the revolver and fired.

A family left broken

Manju Yadav, Radhika’s mother, told police she heard the gunshots but was unaware of what had happened until she saw her daughter’s lifeless body.

“She was my world,” she reportedly said during her statement. “I don’t know why he did this. Radhika never brought shame to us.”

Kuldeep told officers there had been no warning signs. “If I had even an idea, I would have stopped him. He never told us he had such thoughts.”

The revolver, registered in Deepak’s name, was seized along with blood samples and other forensic evidence. A case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Arms Act has been registered.

As the tennis academy now stands silent and shuttered, the tragedy has sparked conversations about the weight of patriarchal control, the stigma of female success, and the dangers of silence within families.