Indian shuttlers shine at World Juniors: Four enter quarterfinals

Indian shuttlers produced a stellar show at the BWF World Junior Championships here on Thursday, as Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Gnana Dattu, and the mixed doubles pair Bhavya Chhabra-Vishakha Toppo stormed into the quarterfinals. The impressive performances highlighted India’s growing strength at the junior level and offered fans plenty of excitement at the National Centre of Excellence.

Tanvi Sharma dominated China’s Sun Li Yuan 15-8, 15-5 to advance, while eighth seed Unnati Hooda bounced back from a slow start to defeat Malaysia’s Carine Tee 15-10, 15-7. Both will now face tough opponents in the quarters, with Tanvi set to meet Japan’s Saki Matsumoto and Unnati drawn against Thailand’s second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak.

In the boys’ singles, 17-year-old Gnana Dattu impressed in his debut World Junior appearance, overcoming eighth seed Garret Tan of the USA 15-12, 15-13. Dattu showcased a calm and strategic approach, using slow drops, sharp dribbles, and precise flicks to outmaneuver his more experienced opponent. Even when Tan saved three match points in the second game, Dattu held his nerve to secure a thrilling victory. “Though he has more experience than me, I was confident I could win if I played my best,” Dattu said after the match.

The mixed doubles pair of Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo also pulled off a notable upset, defeating the third-seeded French combination of Thibault Gardon and Agathe Cuevas 12-15, 15-11, 15-12. After losing the opening game, the Indians shifted to a more aggressive strategy, winning six consecutive points in the decider to seal their spot in the quarterfinals. “Our coach advised us to attack more and play soft at the net. We followed the plan, and it worked perfectly,” Bhavya said. They will now face Chinese Taipei’s Hung Bing Fu and Chou Yun An, who beat Korea’s Kim Tae Hyun and Moon In Seo 15-9, 15-11.

The day also saw mixed results in other events. In women’s singles, tenth seed Rakshitha Sree fell to Sri Lanka’s Ranithma Liyanage 11-15, 9-15, while the women’s doubles combination of Vennala K and Reshika U lost 16-14, 12-15, 8-15 to Indonesia’s Salsabila Aulia and Jania Situmorang.

Indian shuttlers have now set up a promising quarterfinal lineup, with strong performances in both singles and mixed doubles pointing to a bright future at the World Junior Championships.

Indian Results:

Men's Singles: Gnana Dattu bt 8-Garret Tan (USA) 15-12, 15-13 Women's Singles: 1-Tanvi Sharma bt Li Yuan Sun (China) 15-8, 15-5; 8-Unnati Hooda bt Carine Tee (Malaysia) 15-10, 15-7; 10-Rakshitha Sree lost to 4-Ranithma Liyanage (Sri Lanka) 11-15, 9-15 Women's Doubles: 8-Vennala K/Reshika U lost to Salsabila Aulia/Jania Situmorang (Indonesia) 16-14, 12-15, 8-15 Mixed Doubles: 14-Bhavya Chhabra/ Vishakha Toppo bt 3-Thibault Gardon/ Agathe Cuevas (France) 12-15, 15-11, 15-12