Unnati Hooda, Tanisha-Dhruv Begin Asian Games Campaign With Wins

Indian shuttlers Unnati Hooda and the mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila began their individual campaigns with convincing victories at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 on Friday.

India’s badminton campaign in the individual events got off to a positive start as Unnati Hooda and the mixed doubles combination of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila registered straight-game wins in their respective opening-round matches in Nagoya on September 25.

Unnati Hooda Advances To Second Round

Unnati defeated North Korea’s Mi Song Yu 21-9, 21-10 in a 30-minute contest to book her place in the second round of the women’s singles competition.

The Indian shuttler controlled the match from the outset, securing a comfortable victory in straight games.

Tanisha Crasto-Dhruv Kapila Cruise Through

The mixed doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila also advanced with a dominant performance against the Maldives’ Nibal Ahmed and Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq.

The Indian duo wrapped up the match 21-8, 21-7 in just 21 minutes to progress to the next round.

India’s Team Campaign Ends With Mixed Results

India had mixed fortunes in the badminton team events. The women’s team, led by P V Sindhu, failed to secure a medal, while the men’s team finished with bronze.

The men’s team could not improve on the silver medal it won at the previous edition of the Asian Games.