It was a day of contrasts for Indian badminton at the YONEX US Open 2025, as the country’s campaign began with a standout win by 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma but also a spate of early exits from some of the more seasoned names.
The Super 300 event in California saw Indian shuttlers feature across all categories, but few managed to make it past the first hurdle.
Amid the uncertainty, Tanvi Sharma emerged as the brightest spark a teenager taking down the second seed and world no. 23 in a confident, composed performance that may well define her international breakthrough.
Tanvi Stuns Nguyen in Straight Games
Up against Vietnam’s Thuy Linh Nguyen, the second seed and one of Asia’s most consistent women’s singles players, Tanvi Sharma (WR66) showed remarkable maturity to win 21-19, 21-9 in just 35 minutes.
Tanvi trailed 5-12 in the first game, but didn’t panic. Instead, she began constructing points more patiently, using her accurate drops and clever court angles to claw her way back. A six-point burst late in the game turned the tables, and she closed it 21-19.
In the second game, she looked untouchable. Her strokes had purpose, her movement was effortless, and Nguyen had no answers. From a narrow escape to total domination, Tanvi closed it 21-9, announcing herself in style on the international stage.
She now moves into the Round of 16, where she will face Pitchamon Opatniputh from Thailand
Other Women’s Singles: Kashyap and Kharb Advance
India had two other winners in women’s singles on Tuesday:
- Aakarshi Kashyap looked sharp as she beat Liang Ting Yu (TPE) 21-19, 21-10. After a close first game, she raised her level in the second and comfortably sealed the match in 34 minutes.
- Anmol Kharb also advanced after a gritty three-game battle against Czech Republic’s Tereza Švábíková. After dropping the first game 16-21, she came back strong with a 21-13 win and held her nerve in the decider to clinch it 21-19.
- Ira Sharma won as Hung Yi-Ting retired midway 12-21, 21-16, 6-21.
However, it was the end of the road for Shriyanshi:
- Shriyanshi Valishetti was beaten by Polina Buhrova (UKR) 16-21, 21-23.
Men’s Singles: Ayush and Tharun Survive, Srikanth and Priyanshu Exit
India’s men’s singles contingent delivered two wins and two painful losses:
- Ayush Shetty, seeded fourth, overcame a nervy mid-match phase to beat Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen 21-17, 21-19. Though he led 14-5 in Game 1, he allowed Johannesen back to 17-all before finishing strong.
- Tharun Mannepalli was involved in one of the tightest matches of the day, rallying from a game down to beat France’s Arnaud Merkle 19-21, 21-18, 21-18 in 70 minutes. His reward? A Round of 16 clash against Ayush Shetty.
Disappointment followed for the seniors:
- Kidambi Srikanth fought hard but lost to England’s Harry Huang 19-21, 21-12, 14-21. The third game saw him collapse from 14-14 to lose 14-21.
- Priyanshu Rajawat, meanwhile, was completely outplayed by Ting Yen-Chen (TPE), falling 10-21, 7-21.
Mixed Doubles: Shocking First-Round Exits
Perhaps the most frustrating results of the day came in mixed doubles, where both Indian pairs were eliminated in the opening round.
- Top seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto were stunned by the unseeded Taiwanese pair Lin Yu Chieh / Hung Yu-En. The Indians won the opener 21-17 but lost the next two 16-21, 17-21 after leading 16-13 in the decider — a collapse that raised plenty of eyebrows.
- Ayush Agarwal / Shruti Mishra also exited early, losing to Guatemala’s Christopher Martinez / Diana Corleto Soto 15-21, 21-15, 16-21. The result was seen as a major underperformance, given the experience and level of the Indian pair.
Women’s Doubles: A Lone Win for Priya and Shruti
The only Indian success in women’s doubles came from Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, who defeated American duo Micah Cruz / Sydney Li 21-15, 21-17. The Indian pair showed good coordination at the net and dominated the rallies for much of the contest.
Summary of Indian Results – Day 1, YONEX US Open 2025
✅ Advanced to Round of 16:
- Tanvi Sharma (WS): bt Thuy Linh Nguyen (VIE) 21-19, 21-9
- Aakarshi Kashyap (WS): bt Liang Ting Yu (TPE) 21-19, 21-10
- Anmol Kharb (WS): bt Tereza Švábíková (CZE) 16-21, 21-13, 21-19
- Ayush Shetty (MS): bt Magnus Johannesen (DEN) 21-17, 21-19
- Tharun Mannepalli (MS): bt Arnaud Merkle (FRA) 19-21, 21-18, 21-18
- Priya Konjengbam / Shruti Mishra (WD): bt Cruz / Li (USA) 21-15, 21-17
- Ira Sharma (WS): won against Hung Yi-Ting (TPE) 12-21, 21-16, 6-21
❌ Lost in Round of 32:
- Shriyanshi Valishetti (WS): lost to Polina Buhrova (UKR) 16-21, 21-23
- Kidambi Srikanth (MS): lost to Harry Huang (ENG) 19-21, 21-12, 14-21
- Priyanshu Rajawat (MS): lost to Ting Yen-Chen (TPE) 10-21, 7-21
- Dhruv Kapila / Tanisha Crasto (XD): lost to Lin / Hung (TPE) 21-17, 16-21, 17-21
- Ayush Agarwal / Shruti Mishra (XD): lost to Martinez / Corleto Soto (GUA) 15-21, 21-15, 16-21
India now has eight entries into the Round of 16, with key attention on Tanvi Sharma to continue her dream run after toppling the second seed. The men’s singles tie between Ayush and Tharun will ensure one Indian enters the quarterfinals, while Anmol and Aakarshi will look to sustain the momentum on the women’s side.
With several top contenders already out, India’s hopes in the tournament are now largely riding on its next-gen stars and at just 16 years old, Tanvi Sharma is leading the way.
