Every time a young badminton player starts winning, we rush to call them the “next Sindhu” or “next Saina.” It sounds flattering. But it’s not. Then we have Tanvi Sharma
It shrinks them into someone else’s mould before they’ve even finished shaping their own. And in Tanvi Sharma’s case, it simply doesn’t fit.
Because Tanvi isn’t here to follow. She’s here to create. Her own game. Her own voice. Her own journey.
At 17, Tanvi Sharma stands out not just because of her medals or rankings, but because of how she plays, how she thinks, and where she comes from.
From Punjab to the Podium
Tanvi hails from Punjab a state more famous for hockey and kabaddi than badminton. Yet here she is: world junior no. 1, All England Junior Championships semi-finalist, and already ranked inside the senior top 50, thanks to her recent runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300.
She didn’t get there by luck, by an easy draw, or by simply copying what came before. She got there by beating higher-ranked players with tactical sharpness and relentless focus.
A Military Childhood, a Sporting Mindset
Tanvi’s father serves in the Indian Army. Discipline wasn’t something she had to learn later it was part of daily life. Wake up early. Show up. Train, no matter how you feel. No excuses.
She started playing in Chandigarh. But like many serious talents in India, she eventually moved to Hyderabad’s Gopichand Academy. Those first weeks are tough for anyone: every practice is a battle, every rally a test against some of the best juniors in the country.
Some players bend under that pressure. Tanvi didn’t. She adjusted, learned quickly, and began to rise first in junior national events, then on the international circuit.
Style: Control Over Chaos
What makes Tanvi special isn’t raw power. She doesn’t try to bulldoze her opponents.
- Saina Nehwal was all about positional play and grit, grinding opponents down by disrupting their rhythm.
- P.V. Sindhu brought height, explosive pace, and the ability to dominate rallies from mid-court and rear-court.
Tanvi’s style? It’s smoother, lighter, and more deceptive. She shifts tempo mid-rally, plays polished net shots, and uses her feel for the game rather than brute strength. Slimmer than Saina, less predictable than Sindhu, she’s carving out a style of her own: fluid, balanced, and quietly lethal.
Mindset: Where It Really Matters
Even with a different playing style, Tanvi carries the same core quality that made Saina and Sindhu champions: mental steel.
Watch her in a close decider. There’s no panic, no visible frustration. Just a focus on the next rally, the next point. That’s rare at 17. Many juniors collapse when the game slips. Tanvi doesn’t. She keeps making tactical choices when to slow it down, when to attack.
That level of maturity comes only from grinding through long hours on the practice courts, winning and critically losing, then returning smarter.
The Hardest Part: Stepping into the Senior Circuit
Junior success is great. But the real test where so many fade is the transition to the senior level.
Here, shuttles come back faster, rallies stretch longer, and experience counts as much as talent. Strength, endurance, and resilience become non-negotiable.
Tanvi has already started playing International Series and low-level Challengers the hidden battles that don’t make headlines but shape real careers. These are filled with hungry players desperate to break into the top 100. Every match is a fight.
To thrive, Tanvi must add physical strength to match her deception-heavy game. Long rallies and back-to-back tournaments will demand stamina, injury prevention, and recovery areas that are slowly improving in Indian badminton.
Support System: Strengths and Gaps
Training at the Gopichand Academy gives her access to elite sparring partners and experienced coaches. But Indian badminton’s training model often follows a standardised path, rather than tailoring plans to a player’s unique style.
Tanvi doesn’t need to train like Sindhu. She needs a plan built around her finesse, deception, and tempo control. A team that understands her game, her body, and thinks long-term beyond immediate results.
If she stays fit, keeps learning, and has the right support, Tanvi could realistically break into the world’s top 50 by 2026. That would open doors to Super 300 events, Sudirman Cup or Uber Cup team spots, and the Olympic cycle.
But sport doesn’t guarantee outcomes. What matters more is that Tanvi is building her own path not a copy of anyone else’s.
The Bottom Line
Tanvi Sharma doesn’t need to be the “next Saina” or “next Sindhu.” That’s too small a box for her story.
She already has the skill, mindset, and courage to create something different her own identity. If she keeps showing up, keeps learning, and stays clear-minded, the question isn’t whether she’ll succeed, but just how far she’ll go.
Not the next Saina. Not the next Sindhu.
The first Tanvi.
And that is far more interesting.
