Indonesia : India’s promising run at the 2025 Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships ended in a narrow 110-104 defeat to former champions Japan in the quarterfinals held in Surakarta, Indonesia. Despite multiple leads and strong performances across matches, the Indian team could not withstand Japan’s final surge, with the East Asian side winning the last five matches consecutively to seal the win.
The tie commenced with a close 11-9 loss but India quickly rebounded thanks to impressive boys’ doubles by Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu, and confident girls’ doubles from Vennala Kalagotla and Reshika Uthayasooriyan, putting India well ahead early on. Singles star Rounak Chouhan also extended India’s advantage with a composed display. Throughout the contest, India maintained leads but Japan’s resilience and experience from their 2023 triumph turned the tide in the concluding stages.
India had topped Group D in the initial rounds with convincing wins over Hong Kong China, UAE, and Sri Lanka, showcasing depth in doubles and singles, including notable upsets like Rounak’s victory over the world junior No. 5 and Rujula Ramu’s wins against top-20 players.
Though the mixed team campaign ended earlier than hoped, the Indian juniors showed promise and will now focus on the individual championships starting July 23, aiming to build on the experience gained from this tightly contested quarterfinal.
This event, organized annually by Badminton Asia, highlights top emerging talents in boys’ and girls’ singles and doubles, and India is yet to clinch a medal at this prestigious continental championship since its inception in 2006. The junior squad’s spirited effort against a strong Japanese team signals a positive outlook for the future of Indian badminton.
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