Bhubaneswar: India’s top junior badminton players have made a strong start at the 2025 BWF World Junior Championships in Guwahati, with five players just one win away from securing medals.
Tanvi Sharma Leads the Charge
Top-seeded Tanvi Sharma delivered an impressive performance, defeating Poland’s Wiktoria Kaletka 15-2, 15-1 in just 11 minutes. This dominant win propelled her into the pre-quarterfinals, bringing her closer to a potential medal.
Unnati Hooda and Rakshitha Sree Advance
Eighth-seeded Unnati Hooda also advanced with a 15-8, 15-9 victory over Hong Kong’s Liu Hoi Anna in 23 minutes. Rakshitha Sree R followed suit, overcoming Canada’s Lucy Yang 15-5, 15-9 to continue her campaign.
Boys’ Singles Players Progress
In the boys’ singles category, all four Indian players secured victories:
Eleventh seed Rounak Chouhan defeated Sri Lanka’s Thisath Rupathunga 15-3, 15-6.
Fifteenth seed Suryaksh Rawat beat Yigitcan Erol of Turkey 15-5, 15-8.
Lalthazuala Hmar triumphed over Rylan Tan of the USA 15-11, 15-5.
Gnana Dattu TT joined them in the round of 32 with a 15-10, 15-13 win over Brazil’s Joaquim Mendonca.
Gnana Dattu will face Suryaksh Rawat in the next round, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
Medal Hopes
With these victories, Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, Rakshitha Sree R, and the boys’ singles players are all one win away from securing medals in their respective categories. Their performances highlight the growing strength of Indian badminton on the world stage.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on these young talents as they aim to bring home medals and further elevate India’s standing in international badminton.
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