India enjoyed a strong day at the YONEX SUNRISE BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati, as eight of 13 players advanced to the Round of 16 across categories.
The Indian contingent delivered an impressive collective performance at the National Centre of Excellence, with wins across singles and doubles keeping home hopes alive for the medal rounds. Led by the country’s top-ranked junior shuttlers Tanvi Sharma, Unnati Hooda, and Rakshitha Sree Ramraj in women’s singles, and Gnana Dattu TT in men’s singles, India also registered key doubles victories through the pairings of Bhavya Chhabra/Vishakha Toppo, Bhargav Ram Arigela/Viswa Tej Gobburu, Vennala K/Reshika U, and Aanya Bisht/Angel Punera.
Tanvi, Unnati, and Rakshitha Keep Medal Hopes Alive
It was a near-perfect day for India’s women’s singles stars. Top seed Tanvi Sharma, world junior No. 1, looked in control throughout her 15-12, 15-7 win over Indonesia’s Oei Winarto. Tanvi began strongly, opening up a 9–4 lead, but a brief phase of unforced errors allowed her opponent to rally back. However, regrouping quickly, she reeled off six straight points to close the opener and dominated the second with trademark precision.
“The drift was a little tricky today, otherwise I was comfortable,” Tanvi said after the match. “I started well but lost focus for a bit. My coach asked me to settle into rallies, and that helped.” The 17-year-old now faces Li Yuan Sun of China for a spot in the quarterfinals. Interestingly, Li caused a mild upset in her previous round, beating ninth seed Liao Jui-Chi of Chinese Taipei 15–12, 15–12.
Joining Tanvi in the Round of 16 are eighth seed Unnati Hooda and tenth seed Rakshitha Sree Ramraj, both of whom showed contrasting styles in victory.
Unnati looked composed and businesslike in her 15–8, 15–5 win over Alice Wang of the United States. The reigning U19 national champion controlled the pace from the outset, forcing errors from her opponent with sharp mid-court control and aggressive net play. The victory, completed in just 26 minutes, reinforced her growing confidence on home soil. Rakshitha, meanwhile, had to fight hard to overcome a sluggish start before dispatching Singapore’s Aaliyah Zakaria 11–15, 15–5, 15–8. She looked tentative early on, trailing 2–12 in the first game, but once she adjusted to the drift and shortened her rallies, the match swung decisively in her favour.
“At the start, I took time to understand the court and my opponent,” Rakshitha said. “This 15-point format feels different. When she led 8–2, I felt pressure, but scoring consecutive points helped my confidence. After that, I found my rhythm.” Rakshitha next faces fourth seed Ranithma Liyanage of Sri Lanka, who beat Malaysia’s Ler Qi Eng 15–9, 15–12.
Dattu Lone Indian in Boys’ Singles
In the boys’ singles draw, Gnana Dattu TT stood tall, emerging as India’s only representative to reach the Round of 16 after defeating compatriot Suryaksh Rawat 11–15, 15–6, 15–11 in an all-Indian clash. Dattu, who has been nursing a mild lat muscle strain, took time to settle in but once he found his rhythm, controlled the rallies with ease. The 17-year-old former Asian U17 bronze medallist used his superior reach and net awareness to turn the match around after dropping the first game.
“I was struggling to get my timing early on, but once I started moving freely, I could dictate the pace,” Dattu said post-match. “Playing an Indian opponent is always tricky, but I’m happy with how I finished.”
Elsewhere, Rounak Chouhan put up a spirited fight before losing to China’s Li Zhi Hang 11–15, 12–15, while Lalthazuala Hmar went down 13–15, 6–15 to UAE’s Riyan Malhan.
Indian Doubles Units Shine
If India’s singles players were consistent, the doubles contingent provided the spark. Four Indian pairs advanced to the pre-quarterfinals across all categories, highlighting the country’s growing depth in junior doubles. In mixed doubles, 14th seeds Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo held off Denmark’s Aske Romer and Jasmin Willis 15–13, 15–11 in a tight encounter. The Indians started strongly, but the Danes fought back in the second game before Bhavya and Vishakha steadied themselves with effective cross-court defense and sharp finishing at the net.
In boys’ doubles, sixth seeds Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu fought back from a game down to beat Japan’s Shunki Hagiwara and Mahiro Matsumoto 11–15, 15–10, 15–10 in a 42-minute battle. Their comeback was built on controlled aggression and improved serve returns in the decider. The duo now face Yi Hsuan Chen and Chun-Yen Chu of Chinese Taipei in the next round.
The girls’ doubles category also delivered twin wins for India.
The 16th-seeded combination of Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera edged past Taiwan’s Hui Hsin Huang and Pei Chun Tsai 16–14, 12–15, 15–5, while Vennala K and Reshika U registered a confident 15–8, 15–10 win over Japan’s Sayaka Enomoto and Miku Yashima. Both pairs displayed excellent synchronization and composure in long rallies, particularly during pressure moments in the third game. Seventh seeds Gayatri Rawat and Mansa Rawat, however, exited after losing to China’s Tan Ke Xuan and Wei Yue Yue 6–15, 7–15.
A Strong Home Campaign in Perspective
With eight players advancing to the pre-quarterfinals, India’s performance reflects a healthy balance of individual talent and depth across categories. The day also saw a major twist in the overall draw as defending women’s singles champion Xu Wen Jing of China crashed out, opening up the lower half of the draw and further enhancing India’s medal prospects. Japan’s Yuzuno Watanabe, who earlier this year won the India Junior International Grand Prix in Pune, caused the upset by defeating Xu 15–12, 11–15, 15–10 in a 50-minute match a result that could significantly alter the medal projections.
India, which has so far claimed 11 individual medals in the history of the World Junior Championships, has fielded a 25-member contingent this year, making this edition in Guwahati particularly significant. The depth and composure shown by the young squad suggest that the country is on the cusp of a breakthrough campaign.
Indian Results Summary
Boys’ Singles
- Gnana Dattu TT bt (15) Suryaksh Rawat 11–15, 15–6, 15–11
- Rounak Chouhan lost to Li Zhi Hang (CHN) 11–15, 12–15
- Lalthazuala Hmar lost to (14) Riyan Malhan (UAE) 13–15, 6–15
Girls’ Singles
- (1) Tanvi Sharma bt Oei Winarto (INA) 15–12, 15–7
- (8) Unnati Hooda bt Alice Wang (USA) 15–8, 15–5
- (10) Rakshitha Sree bt Aaliyah Zakaria (SGP) 11–15, 15–5, 15–8
Mixed Doubles
- (14) Bhavya Chhabra/Vishakha Toppo bt Romer/Willis (DEN) 15–13, 15–11
Boys’ Doubles
- (6) Bhargav Ram Arigela/Viswa Tej Gobburu bt Hagiwara/Matsumoto (JPN) 11–15, 15–10, 15–10
Girls’ Doubles
- (16) Aanya Bisht/Angel Punera bt Huang/Tsai (TPE) 16–14, 12–15, 15–5
- Vennala K/Reshika U bt Enomoto/Yashima (JPN) 15–8, 15–10
With the singles heavyweights and multiple doubles pairs still in contention, Day 3 in Guwahati promises to be crucial in shaping India’s medal hopes.
The next round could well define whether this young Indian squad can translate promise into podium finishes at home.
