Indian Teenager Tanvi Sharma Shines at Syed Modi International
Indian badminton witnessed a spectacular display of talent as 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma continued her dream run at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament, securing a place in the women's singles semifinals on Friday. The young prodigy followed up her stunning victory over former world champion Nozomi Okuhara with a commanding performance against Hong Kong's Lo Sin Yan Happy.
Straight-Games Victory Seals Semifinal Berth
Demonstrating remarkable composure, Sharma dispatched her opponent in straight games with a scoreline of 21-13, 21-19. The quarterfinal match lasted just 38 minutes, showcasing the teenager's growing dominance on the court. This impressive win sets up an exciting last-four clash against Japan's fifth seed Hina Akechi, who herself caused an upset by defeating third seed Sung Shuo Yun 21-8, 21-15 in another quarterfinal encounter.
Reflecting on her recent success, Sharma had earlier expressed her excitement after the Okuhara match. "It has been a great year for me, World Juniors also I won silver. I was on a break due to an ankle injury. I never thought I will beat Okuhara, just wanted to give my best," the rising star told reporters. Her victory over the second-seeded Okuhara on Thursday was particularly thrilling, as she fought back from a game down to win 13-21, 21-16, 21-19 in a 59-minute marathon.
Other Indian Contenders in Semifinals
The tournament saw strong performances from other Indian shuttlers as well. Unnati Hooda battled through a tough quarterfinal against compatriot Rakshitha Sree Santosh R, eventually prevailing 21-15, 13-21, 21-16. Hooda will now face fourth seed Neslihan Arin from Turkey, who overcame India's Isharani Baruah 21-19, 13-21, 21-15.
In men's singles action, Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the semifinals after his opponent Priyanshu Rajawat retired while trailing 21-14, 11-4. Srikanth's next challenge will be against fellow Indian Mithun Manjunath, who secured his semifinal spot by defeating Manraj Singh 21-18, 21-13 in their quarterfinal match.
Surprises and Doubles Action
The tournament witnessed a major upset when men's top seed Jason Teh of Singapore suffered a defeat against Japan's Minoru Koga. The intense match concluded 19-21, 21-12, 20-22 after one hour and five minutes of play. Koga will now take on Hong Kong's Jason Gunawan in the semifinals.
Indian women's doubles top seeds Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly continued their strong form, defeating fifth seeds Bengisu Ercetin and Nazlican Inci 21-15, 21-16 to reach the semifinals. Treesa Jolly will also compete in the mixed doubles semifinal alongside Hariharan Amsakarunan after the pair defeated Australia's Andika Ramadiansyah and Nozomi Shimizu 21-18, 21-14 in the quarterfinals.
The Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament has emerged as a significant platform for India's emerging badminton talent, with multiple Indian players making their mark in various categories and advancing to the crucial semifinal stage.
