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Tanvi Sharma made history on October 17 in Guwahati, becoming the first Indian female shuttler in 17 years to be guaranteed a medal at the BWF World Junior Championships. The 16-year-old secured her spot in the girls' singles semifinals after fighting back from a game down to defeat Japan’s Saki Matsumoto. Sharma displayed incredible composure and skill, especially under pressure, using her cross-court slices to great effect to win the quarterfinal match with scores of 13-15, 15-9, 15-10. The sapping 47-minute clash was a thrilling affair that captivated the spectators at the National Centre of Excellence.
Tanvi Sharma secures historic medal at World Juniors
Despite Sharma's triumph, India's hope for a second medal in the girls' singles category was dashed. Eighth seed Unnati Hooda went down in her quarterfinal match, losing to the second seed, Anyapat Phichitpreechasak of Thailand, with scores of 12-15, 13-15.
Sharma's achievement is truly momentous, as the last Indian female player to win a medal at this event was Saina Nehwal, who famously clinched the gold medal in the 2008 Championships held in Pune. Nehwal had also won a silver medal two years earlier in 2006. These two, along with Aparna Popat (who won silver in 1996), were the only other Indian female players to have ever stood on the podium in the history of the competition before Sharma's historic win.
Tanvi Sharma sails into semifinal
Top-seeded Tanvi Sharma, who had previously won a bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships earlier this year, started her match aggressively and quickly built a commanding 10-6 lead. However, a series of unforced errors allowed her Japanese opponent, Saki Matsumoto, to mount a strong comeback. Matsumoto capitalized on the opportunity, winning seven straight points to seize the lead and ultimately take the opening game. Though the Indian shuttler managed to halt Matsumoto’s free run late in the game, she couldn't prevent the loss.
Sharma, a US Open finalist, appeared much more comfortable with her shot selection in the second game, quickly racing through to a dominant 15-9 victory. The momentum shifted again in the decider, though, as errors crept back into her game at the start of the third. The pressure on the top seed was evident when the players changed ends, with Sharma trailing 5-8.
Crucially, those nerves quickly settled. Sharma then found her rhythm, clinching four straight points to take a narrow 9-8 lead. From that point on, she strategically used a combination of flat tosses and powerful cross smashes to completely outplay her opponent, securing the final game and the match.
Unnati Hooda and Gnana Dattu Fall Short
In the other girls’ singles quarterfinal, Unnati Hooda was visibly struggling with her movement at the front of the court. Although the Indian shuttler displayed determination and fought for every point throughout the 32-minute battle, she was repeatedly caught out by the quick cross drops and smashes executed by her opponent, Anyapat Phichitpreechasak.
India's challenge also ended in the boys’ singles quarterfinals. Gnana Dattu put up a spirited performance and fought hard against the third seed, Liu Yang Ming Yu of China. However, his efforts were ultimately insufficient, leading to a straight-games loss with scores of 15-11, 15-13. The mixed doubles event similarly saw a quarterfinal exit for the Indian pair. Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo were defeated by the Chinese Taipei combination of Hung Bing Fu and Chou Yun An, losing the match 15-9, 15-7.
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