Sports Desk: India’s junior shuttlers continued their strong showing at the YONEX SUNRISE BWF World Junior Championships 2025 at the National Centre of Excellence on Wednesday, with top seed Tanvi Sharma, eighth seed Unnati Hooda, and 10th seed Rakshitha Sree Ramraj moving into the pre-quarterfinals.
Tanvi overcame Indonesia’s Oei Winarto 15-12, 15-7 after a brief lapse in the first game, while Unnati comfortably defeated USA’s Alice Wang 15-8, 15-5. Rakshitha recovered from a first-game loss to Singapore’s Aaliyah Zakaria, winning 11-15, 15-5, 15-8.
In boys’ singles, Gnana Dattu TT emerged as India’s sole hope, defeating compatriot Suryaksh Rawat 11-15, 15-6, 15-11. Fellow Indian Rounak Chouhan bowed out against China’s Li Zhi Hang 11-15, 12-15.
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The 14th-seeded mixed doubles pair of Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo also advanced, edging Denmark’s Aske Romer and Jasmin Willis 15-13, 15-11, while C Lalramsanga and Taarini Suri lost to Japan’s Shuji Sawada and Aoi Banno 10-15, 6-15.
India’s 25-member contingent, buoyed by strong girls’ singles prospects, looks to build on the country’s tally of 11 individual medals in the tournament’s history. Tanvi will next face Chinese newcomer Li Yuan Sun, Rakshitha meets Sri Lanka’s fourth seed Ranithma Liyanage, and Gnana Dattu prepares for his pre-quarterfinal clash.
Boy’s singles:
Gnana Dattu TT bt 15-Suryaksh Rawat 11-15, 15-6, 15-11; 11-Rounak Chouhan lost to Li Zhi Hang (China) 11-15, 12-15; Lalthazuala Hmar lost to 14-Riyan Malhan (UAE) 13-15, 6-15
Women’s singles:
1-Tanvi Sharma bt Oei Winarto (Indonesia) 15-12, 15-7; 8-Unnati Hooda bt Alice Wang (USA) 15-8, 15-5; 10-Rakshitha Sree bt Aaliyah Zakaria (Singapore) 11-15, 15-5, 15-8
Mixed doubles:
14-Bhavya Chhabra/Vishakha Toppo bt Aske Romer/Jasmin Willis (Denmark) 15-13, 15-11; C Lalramsanga/Taarini Suri lost to 8-Shuji Sawada/Aoi Banno (Japan) 10-15, 6-15
