India’s women’s singles contingent enjoyed a strong opening at the Hylo Open 2025 in Germany, with Unnati Hooda, Rakshita Santosh Ramraj, and Shriyanshi Valishetty advancing to the Round of 16 after impressive straight-game victories.
Their progress highlighted a promising day for Indian badminton, with a mix of youthful aggression and tactical maturity on display. The 18-year-old Unnati Hooda continued her steady rise with a commanding 21-4, 21-13 win over Brazil’s Juliana Vieira. The Indian teenager dominated proceedings with her crisp net control and decisive attacking play, wrapping up the match in just 25 minutes.
Unnati never allowed Vieira any rhythm, controlling the midcourt exchanges and punishing weak lifts with precision. Her fitness and composure under pressure stood out yet again traits that have defined her recent run of form on the European circuit.
Up next, she faces a far tougher challenge against Denmark’s Julie Dawall Jakobsen, the World No. 28 and a former European Championships bronze medallist. Jakobsen, who beat India’s Anmol Kharb in the opening round, will test Unnati’s patience and defensive depth.
Another strong performer for India was Rakshita Santosh Ramraj, who extended her winning streak at the event to four matches, including qualifying rounds. The Tamil Nadu shuttler registered a solid 21-14, 21-16 win over Spain’s Clara Azurmendi to book her place in the pre-quarterfinals. Rakshita’s aggressive forecourt play and improved shot variation allowed her to stay in control. She mixed high clears with well-timed drop shots to stretch Azurmendi across the court. Her win reflected the maturity of a player who has been gradually finding rhythm on the international circuit after consistent domestic success.
She now faces compatriot Shriyanshi Valishetty in an all-Indian clash that will ensure at least one Indian woman reaches the quarterfinals of a Super 300 event a rare milestone in Indian women’s singles.
Shriyanshi Valishetty Stuns World No. 21 Line Kjærsfeldt
The day’s biggest talking point was Shriyanshi Valishetty’s brilliant upset over Denmark’s Line Kjærsfeldt, ranked World No. 21. The 21-year-old Indian produced one of the best wins of her career, defeating the experienced Dane 21-19, 21-12 in just under 40 minutes. Shriyanshi began nervously but quickly found her rhythm, using flat exchanges and tight net play to neutralize Kjærsfeldt’s aggression. The turning point came at 18-19 in the first game, when Shriyanshi reeled off three straight points to seize control. In the second, she was unstoppable, moving her opponent corner to corner and finishing rallies with calm precision.
Her victory marked her first-ever win over a top-25 opponent and reinforced the growing depth in India’s women’s singles unit.
Not all results went India’s way. Aakarshi Kashyap, Anupama Upadhyaya, and Anmol Kharb suffered narrow defeats despite showing glimpses of promise.
Aakarshi went down 15-21, 15-21 to Turkey’s Neslihan Arin, struggling to counter the veteran’s deceptive play. Anupama lost a tight contest 19-21, 19-21 against Ukraine’s Polina Buhrova, missing crucial points late in both games.
Anmol Kharb endured a particularly painful loss to Julie Dawall Jakobsen 24-26, 21-23. The 17-year-old had multiple game points in each set but failed to convert due to unforced errors including a few high serves at critical moments. Her defeat, though disappointing, offered a valuable lesson in composure and tactical flexibility at the top level.
Tanya Hemanth too exited early, losing 14-21, 13-21 to Lin Hsiang Ti of Taiwan in the main draw.
Indian Women’s Results Summary – Hylo Open 2025
Advanced to Round of 16:
- Unnati Hooda def. Juliana Vieira 🇧🇷 21-4, 21-13
- Rakshita Santosh Ramraj def. Clara Azurmendi 🇪🇸 21-14, 21-16
- Shriyanshi Valishetty def. Line Kjærsfeldt 🇩🇰 21-19, 21-12
Lost in Round of 32:
- Aakarshi Kashyap lost to Neslihan Arin 🇹🇷 15-21, 15-21
- Anupama Upadhyaya lost to Polina Buhrova 🇺🇦 19-21, 19-21
- Anmol Kharb lost to Julie Dawall Jakobsen 🇩🇰 24-26, 21-23
- Tanya Hemanth lost to Lin Hsiang Ti 🇹🇼 14-21, 13-21
Upcoming Indian Matches – Round of 16
•Unnati Hooda vs. Julie Dawall Jakobsen (Denmark)
•Rakshita Santosh Ramraj vs. Shriyanshi Valishetty (India)
With three Indian women still in the draw, the Hylo Open 2025 is shaping up to be one of India’s best collective campaigns in recent months on the BWF circuit.
Unnati’s fearless aggression, Shriyanshi’s composure, and Rakshita’s consistency offer hope of another deep run and possibly, a medal finish in Germany.
