The 85th Senior National Badminton Championships in Guwahati witnessed a day of thrilling upsets on Thursday, as several unheralded players stormed into the pre-quarterfinals of the women's singles event. The standout performances came from Shruti Mundada, Parul Choudhary, and Tanvi Patri, who all defeated higher-ranked opponents to advance.
Day of the Underdogs
Maharashtra's Shruti Mundada delivered one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far. She staged a remarkable comeback to defeat the 13th seed, Isharani Baruah of Assam, in a hard-fought three-game battle. After losing the first game, Mundada showed tremendous grit to turn the match around. The final scoreline read 18-21, 21-19, 21-15 in favor of the underdog, sending her through to the last-16 stage.
In another stunning result, Gujarat's Parul Choudhary took down the 15th seed, Anmol Kharb of Haryana. Kharb, a rising talent, was unable to contain Choudhary's determined play. Choudhary secured her pre-quarterfinal berth with a commanding 21-13, 21-15 victory in straight games.
Patri Joins the Upset Party
The trend of upsets continued with Odisha's Tanvi Patri, who also earned her place among the final 16. Patri faced the 12th seed, Samayara Panwar from Uttar Pradesh, and produced a dominant performance. She needed just two games to dispatch her fancied rival, winning 21-12, 21-14. This victory marked a significant achievement for Patri at the national level.
While the lower-ranked players celebrated, the top seeds navigated their matches without major drama. The tournament favorites, including defending champion Anupama Upadhyaya (top seed) and second seed Tasnim Mir, both progressed smoothly to the pre-quarterfinals. Their journeys set the stage for potentially explosive clashes in the coming rounds.
Road to the Quarterfinals
The action now intensifies as the women's singles draw moves into the pre-quarterfinal round on Friday. All eyes will be on the giant-killers – Mundada, Choudhary, and Patri – to see if they can continue their dream runs against an increasingly tough field. Their victories have injected a fresh dose of excitement and unpredictability into the championship, proving that rankings can be overturned on the court.
The 85th Senior Nationals, being held at the RG Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati, is the premier domestic badminton event in India. It serves as a crucial platform for identifying and nurturing the next generation of badminton stars for the country.
