In a thrilling display of emerging talent, young Indian shuttler Sanskar Saraswat claimed his first-ever BWF Super 100 championship at the Guwahati Masters on Sunday. The 19-year-old from Jodhpur triumphed over his compatriot Mithun Manjunath in a hard-fought men's singles final that lasted fifty minutes.
Saraswat's Gritty Path to Victory
The all-Indian final was a rollercoaster of momentum shifts. Sanskar Saraswat, playing with his right leg heavily taped, seized the opening game with a commanding 21-11 scoreline. His aggressive cross-court and down-the-line smashes proved too much for Manjunath initially.
However, Manjunath showcased remarkable resilience in the second game. Despite trailing early, he fought back to level the scores and capitalized on Saraswat's errors to take the game 21-17, forcing a decisive third game.
The final game saw Saraswat return with renewed focus, storming to a 7-0 lead. He maintained control throughout, entering the mid-game interval with an 11-5 advantage. His powerful smashes extended the lead to 14-6, and he eventually sealed the match and the title 21-13 on his second match point with a deep return.
Tanvi Sharma's Valiant Runner-Up Finish
In the women's singles category, India's Tanvi Sharma, a 16-year-old from Punjab and a world junior championships silver medalist, finished as the runner-up. She put up a strong fight against Chinese Taipei's Tung Ciou-Tong but lost in straight games 18-21, 18-21.
The match was highly competitive, with Tanvi leading 11-8 at the interval in the first game. However, Tung recovered to level at 16-16 and clinched the game. In the second game, Tanvi again led at the break but was hampered by unforced errors in the closing stages, allowing her opponent to secure the victory.
This performance adds to Tanvi's promising resume, which includes a recent semifinal appearance at the Syed Modi International Super 300 and runner-up finishes at the Odisha Masters, US Open Super 300, and the World Junior Championships.
Indian Doubles Teams Also Shine
The tournament also saw strong performances from other Indian contenders. The men's doubles pair of Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K reached the final, where they settled for second place. They were defeated by the Malaysian sixth seeds, Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai, with a score of 13-21, 18-21.
The Making of a Champion: Sanskar Saraswat's Journey
Sanskar Saraswat's victory is a testament to his steady rise in domestic badminton. He trains at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, the very city where he won his maiden Super 100 title. His badminton journey began under the guidance of his father, Raj, a former national-level player.
His early training at the Drona Sports Academy laid a strong foundation, leading to success in youth competitions. Saraswat has previously won a junior singles national title and his first senior national doubles title with Arsh Mohammad in Bengaluru last year. His pedigree includes winning the under-13 national doubles title with Tushar Suveer and the under-15 national doubles championship with Bhuvan Singh in Bhubaneswar in 2019.
The Guwahati Masters 2023 has undoubtedly highlighted the depth of young talent in Indian badminton, with players like Sanskar Saraswat and Tanvi Sharma signaling a bright future for the sport in the country.
