India Makes History at Badminton Asia Junior Championships with Double Bronze in Women’s Singles

Solo, Indonesia – India concluded its campaign at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships on Saturday, July 26, 2025, with Tanvi Sharma and Vennala Kalagotla both securing bronze medals in the women’s singles semifinals. This marks a historic achievement for Indian badminton, as it’s the first time the nation has clinched two women’s singles medals at the same edition of the competition.

Vennala Kalagotla’s Close Battle

In the first semifinal, unseeded Vennala Kalagotla faced China’s Si Ya Liu in a tightly contested match that lasted 37 minutes. Liu ultimately defeated Vennala 21-15, 21-18.

• First Game Fight: Liu took a commanding 14-7 lead in the opener. However, Vennala showed great resilience, winning eight of the next 11 points to narrow the gap. Despite her fightback, Liu secured the first game with a four-point winning streak.
• Second Game Rally: The second game remained a close affair until 15-14, after which Liu pulled away, converting her fourth match point to seal her spot in the final.

Tanvi Sharma’s Challenge Against Top Seed

Junior world number one Tanvi Sharma also faced a Chinese opponent in her semifinal, going down 21-13, 21-14 to the eighth-seeded Yin Yi Qing in a 35-minute encounter.

• Unforced Errors Prove Costly: Tanvi, known for her aggressive play, made crucial unforced errors at critical moments that impacted her momentum.
• Yin’s Strong Finish: In the first game, Tanvi was in contention until 13-13, but Yin Yi Qing, ranked 73rd in the junior world rankings, won eight consecutive points to take the lead.
• Second Game Comeback: The 16-year-old Indian, who recently gained prominence after finishing runner-up at last month’s US Open Super 300 tournament, started strong in the second game with a 6-1 lead. However, Yin mounted a strong comeback, trailing by just a single point at the mid-game interval before eventually overtaking Tanvi and securing her place in the all-Chinese final against Si Ya Liu.

Despite the semifinal losses, the bronze medals for both Tanvi Sharma and Vennala Kalagotla underscore the growing depth and talent in Indian women’s junior badminton.

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