The Senior Badminton Nationals Championships in Vijayawada are set for an exciting finale, with local favourite Surya Charishma Tamiri and the fast-rising Tanvi Patri booking their places in the women’s singles final, while Rithvik Sanjeevi S and Bharat Raghav will battle it out for the men’s singles crown after dramatic semifinal victories on Saturday.
Charishma, buoyed by home support and growing confidence, continued her impressive run by overcoming world number 45 Rakshita Sree R in a hard-fought three-game semifinal. The Andhra Pradesh shuttler prevailed 21-18, 18-21, 21-9 in a match that showcased her composure and attacking clarity at crucial moments. Having already sent top seed Unnati Hooda packing in the quarterfinals, Charishma once again rose to the occasion, asserting control in the decider after Rakshita forced the match into a third game.
Standing between Charishma and the national title is Tanvi Patri, who produced another resilient performance to reach her first-ever senior nationals final. Tanvi recovered from a game down to defeat Maharashtra’s Shruti Mundada 18-21, 21-12, 21-15, ending the veteran’s inspired run in the tournament. The young shuttler’s ability to raise her tempo after a tentative opening game proved decisive, as she dictated rallies and forced errors from Mundada in the latter stages.
The men’s singles semifinals delivered arguably the most gripping contest of the day, with Rithvik Sanjeevi S pulling off a stunning upset against top seed Kiran George. The 2024 Odisha Masters winner saved a match point in the decider before sealing a thrilling 21-16, 17-21, 22-20 victory in a marathon encounter lasting one hour and eight minutes. Rithvik’s fearless shot selection under pressure and his refusal to back down during the closing exchanges underlined his growing maturity at the senior level.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
Rithvik will face Bharat Raghav, who continued his giant-killing run by defeating second seed M Tharun 21-17, 11-21, 21-11 in 55 minutes. After dropping the second game, Bharat regrouped swiftly, dominating the decider with sharper net play and greater consistency from the back court to earn a well-deserved spot in the final.
The stage had been set for these dramatic semifinal showdowns a day earlier, when the quarterfinals saw major upsets across both singles categories. In women’s singles, Charishma stunned top seed Unnati Hooda with a commanding 21-12, 21-15 win in just 36 minutes, while Shruti Mundada knocked out second seed and former national champion Anupama Upadhyaya 22-20, 21-12. Rakshita Sree had also impressed in the quarters, coming from a game down to defeat world junior championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma 16-21, 21-14, 21-18.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
In men’s singles, Kiran George had earlier been tested by 11th seed Rounak Chauhan before securing a 21-18, 21-18 victory, while Rithvik Sanjeevi advanced by defeating K Sathish Kumar 21-13, 22-20. Bharat Raghav’s journey to the final began with a confident quarterfinal win over Ginpaul Sonna 21-17, 21-13, while Tharun edged past Manraj Singh 21-13, 22-20 to reach the last four.
Doubles action also produced high-quality contests. In the mixed doubles semifinals, top seeds Ashith Surya and Amrutha P recovered from a disastrous opening game to overcome third seeds Deep Rambhiya and Sonali Mirkhelkar 8-21, 21-18, 21-18. Second seeds Sathwik Reddy K and Radhika Sharma booked their place in the final with a straight-games win over Nitin Kumar and Kanika Kanwal 21-13, 21-14.
The women’s doubles final will feature a clash of former national champions. Third seeds Shikha Gautam and Ashwini Bhat K defeated Vennala K and Reshika U 21-11, 21-15, while second seeds Priya Devi Konjengban and Shruti Mishra overcame eighth seeds Aparna Balan and Simran Singhi 21-19, 21-14. Earlier, top seeds Rutuparna and Swetaparna Panda had been knocked out in the pre-quarterfinals by Riduvarshini Ramasamy and Sania Sikkandar.
With compelling storylines across all categories, the finals promise a fitting climax to a championship that has been defined by upsets, breakthroughs, and the emergence of a new generation ready to challenge India’s established badminton order.
