India’s rising shuttlers delivered another confident performance at the Odisha Masters 2025, as the country’s top young names advanced into the quarterfinals across singles and doubles events at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack.
Top seeds Unnati Hooda and Tharun Mannepalli, alongside Tanvi Sharma, Kiran George, and Anupama Upadhyaya, ensured a strong Indian presence in the last eight, reflecting the depth and momentum in the national setup.
Women’s Singles: Hooda Cruises, Tanvi Battles Through
Top seed Unnati Hooda once again underlined her consistency, controlling the tempo from the opening rally to defeat Thailand’s Tidapron Kleebyeesun 21-7, 21-14 in just 25 minutes. Hooda’s crisp shot selection and superior movement left her opponent little room to recover, putting the Indian into the quarterfinals without dropping a game so far.
Joining her is Tanvi Sharma, who was tested in a hard-fought all-Indian clash against Aditi Bhatt. Tanvi held her nerve in the closing stretches of both games to secure a 21-18, 22-20 win in 33 minutes. The match showcased Tanvi’s improved defensive structure and ability to absorb pressure traits she has been refining on the international circuit this season.
Anmol Kharb delivered one of the most spirited performances of the day. After losing the first game 6-21 to Japan’s Shiori Ebihara, she staged a superb comeback, shifting to a more aggressive, net-oriented game plan to take the next two games 21-8, 21-13 in 46 minutes. Her resilience ensured India another strong entry into the last eight.
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Former world junior No. 1 Anupama Upadhyaya also progressed, with her opponent retiring in the third game, while Tasnim Mir fresh from a major upset on the previous day continued to display confidence despite going down to qualifier Nanami Someya of Japan. Tasnim now faces seventh seed Tung Ciou-Tong of Chinese Taipei, who edged out India’s Aakarshi Kashyap 11-21, 21-8, 21-18 in a marathon 66-minute encounter.
Men’s Singles: Tharun Survives a Scare; George, Rounak, Sankar Advance
Top seed Tharun Mannepalli had to work harder than expected in his pre-quarterfinal bout against Govind Krishna, eventually prevailing 21-16, 12-21, 21-11 in 48 minutes. His control in the decider proved decisive, and he will next face Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf, who has shown good form this week.
There was a major upset on the men’s side as Indonesia’s Richie Duta Richardo ousted fourth seed Priyanshu Rajawat 21-12, 21-10. Rajawat struggled to find his rhythm, allowing the Indonesian to dictate exchanges throughout.
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Meanwhile, Kiran George maintained composure in key moments of his match, defeating Indonesia’s Dendi Triansyah 21-12, 21-18. George has been building consistency in recent tournaments, and now sets up an intriguing all-Indian quarterfinal against eighth seed Rithvik Sanjeevi. India’s quarterfinal presence expanded further with Rounak Chouhan and S. Sankar Muthusamy, who both moved into the last eight with confident performances.
Doubles: Young Pairs Impress; Top Seeds March On
India’s young men’s doubles pair Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu, who recently won medals at the World Junior Team Championships, produced one of the day’s standout results. After dropping the opening game to Nithin H.V. and Venkata Harsha Veeramreddy, they clawed their way back to win 18-21, 24-22, 21-17, showcasing their growing maturity under pressure.
Fourth seeds Pruthvi Krishnamurthy and Sai Pratheek, one of India’s most promising doubles pairs, also advanced with a controlled performance, while the women’s doubles combinations of Kavipriya Selvam / Simran Singhi and Ashwini Bhat / Shikha Gautam progressed comfortably to the quarterfinals.
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In mixed doubles, fourth seeds Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh were pushed hard by Nitin Kumar and Ritika Thaker before prevailing 17-21, 21-13, 21-19. Their ability to tighten the game during crucial phases of the decider ensured they stayed alive in the draw. Sathwik Reddy and Reshika Uthayasooryan booked their quarterfinal spot with a convincing 21-19, 21-12 win over Par Tien Ann and Juliana Zefanya Gabriela in just 28 minutes, rounding off a strong day for Indian mixed doubles.
With India securing dominant representation in all three formats, the Odisha Masters 2025 is poised for an exciting final stretch.
The upcoming quarterfinals will test the depth and resilience of this promising group as they aim to consolidate India’s position on the international badminton circuit.
