The Odisha Masters 2025 delivered one of its most dramatic days yet on Friday as rising Indian shuttlers produced a series of spirited performances to storm into the semifinals.
With several seeded players falling across categories, the tournament witnessed a wave of upsets, headlined by the continued rise of youngsters Unnati Hooda, Tasnim Mir, Isharani Baruah, and Rounak Chouhan.
In men’s singles, second seed Kiran George remained calm and composed to register a convincing 21-11, 21-17 win over Rithvik Sanjeevi in 33 minutes. George, who has grown in confidence through the week, controlled the tempo from the outset, mixing his attacking strokes with sharp placement to deny Sanjeevi any real foothold in the match. His reward is a mouthwatering all-Indian semifinal against Rounak Chouhan, who continued his dream run by upsetting seventh seed Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian 21-19, 22-20.
Rounak, who has steadily built momentum through the rounds, displayed tremendous composure in pressure moments, especially in the closing stages of both games. Sankar, known for his defensive grit and long rallies, looked poised to push the match into another gear, but Rounak’s willingness to take the initiative paid dividends in the 41-minute contest. The biggest shock of the day in men’s singles came elsewhere, though, with Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf knocking out top seed Tharun Mannepalli 21-9, 22-20 in 49 minutes.
Yusuf’s early pace overwhelmed Tharun, and despite a spirited fight in the second game, the comeback fell short.
The women’s singles section also saw its own share of surprises. In one of the standout results, Tanya Hemanth produced a measured performance to defeat third seed and World Junior Championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma 21-18, 21-17. Tanya controlled the big points with maturity beyond her years, using her reach and control at the net to prevent Tanvi from dictating the exchanges.
She now moves into the semifinals, where she will face a red-hot Isharani Baruah, who has been one of the stories of the tournament.
Baruah began her campaign with a stunning upset over second seed Pornpicha Choeikeewong, received a walkover in the next round, and continued her high-quality play by defeating sixth seed Anmol Kharb 21-16, 21-14. Her attacking intent and disciplined shot selection have been key factors in her run so far.
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Meanwhile, top seed Unnati Hooda underlined her status as the favourite with a strong 21-16, 21-15 win over Anupama Upadhyaya. Unnati maintained control throughout, accelerating at crucial stages and keeping errors to a minimum. Joining her in the last four is Tasnim Mir, who outclassed seventh seed Tung Ciou-Tong of Chinese Taipei with a confident, composed performance.
Tasnim’s ability to open up the court early in rallies and her improved defensive structure ensured an all-Indian semifinal lineup guaranteeing India multiple podium finishes in women’s singles.
In women’s doubles, the experienced pairing of Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam produced one of their best outings of the tournament, defeating sixth seeds Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi 21-12, 21-14. The duo looked in control from start to finish, using their superior rotation and net coverage to disrupt the rhythm of their opponents and secure a semifinal spot.
However, the men’s doubles results were mixed. The pairs of Bhargav Ram Arigela/Viswa Tej Gobburu and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy/Sai Pratheek fell short against stronger opposition, ending India’s campaign in the category.
Mixed doubles saw a bright performance from Sathwik Reddy Kanapuram and Reshika Uthayasooryan, who recorded a solid 21-15, 21-19 victory over Indonesia’s Nawaf Khoiriyansyah and Nahya Muhyifa in 38 minutes. Their quick transitions and disciplined play at the net proved decisive.
The fourth-seeded Indian pair Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh, however, endured a tough outing, falling 21-7, 21-8 to Thailand’s Tanadon Punpanich and Fungfa Korpthammakit.
As the semifinals approach, India is assured of medals across several categories, with the women’s singles draw particularly reflecting the depth of emerging talent. For now, Odisha Masters 2025 stands out as a platform where the next generation of Indian shuttlers is making its presence felt loudly and decisively.
