Unnati Hooda Breaks into Top 45, Ayush Shetty Stuns No. 7 Seed to Enter Taipei Open 2025 Semis
Indian badminton witnessed another promising day at the 2025 Taipei Open as two of its brightest young stars — Unnati Hooda and Ayush Shetty — stormed into the semi-finals of the BWF Super 300 tournament, underlining India’s growing depth in singles.
Unnati Hooda Hits a New Career High
Unnati Hooda, just 17 years old, continued her rapid rise on the international circuit with a gutsy three-game victory over local favorite Hung Yi-Ting in the quarterfinals.
The match was a rollercoaster, with the Indian dominating early, faltering in the second, and holding her nerve in the decider. The final score read 21-8, 19-21, 21-19.
What makes the win even more significant is the impact it will have on her world ranking. With this result, Unnati is projected to rise to a new career-high of World No. 45, improving upon her previous best of 47.
This also makes her the fifth-highest ranked Indian women’s singles (WS) player, overtaking Aakarshi Kashyap.
Data Courtesy Badminton Media
Here’s the updated list of India’s top WS shuttlers by ranking:
- PV Sindhu – WR 15
- Malvika Bansod – WR 23
- Rakshitha Sree – WR 42
- Anupama Upadhyaya – WR 43
- Unnati Hooda – WR 45
- Aakarshi Kashyap – WR 49
Unnati’s progress at such a young age signals a strong future. With her aggressive stroke-play and resilience under pressure, she’s emerging as a genuine contender in the post-Sindhu era for Indian women’s badminton.
She now sets up a semi-final clash against Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki, another rising youngster on the tour. A win here could potentially set up her first-ever Super 300 final — a huge milestone for the teenager from Haryana.
Ayush Shetty Continues His Impressive Run
If Unnati stole the spotlight on the women’s side, Ayush Shetty wasn’t far behind in making headlines in the men’s draw. The 20-year-old showed great maturity and tactical control in overcoming World No. 27 and seventh seed Brian Yang of Canada in a come-from-behind victory.
After dropping the first game 16-21, Ayush showed grit and composure to take the next two 21-19, 21-14. The victory not only puts him into the semi-finals of a Super 300 event but also reaffirms his status as one of India’s top men’s singles prospects.
Ayush will face either Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei) or Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah (Indonesia) in the semis. A clash against Chou on home soil would test his mettle, but Shetty has already shown he can handle pressure, making him a real threat going into the weekend.
Bright Signs for Indian Singles
The twin semi-final appearances of Hooda and Shetty come at a time when Indian badminton is looking to discover new stars. While PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy have long been standard-bearers, India is now clearly transitioning into a more competitive era across both men’s and women’s singles.
For Unnati, it’s another feather in the cap after a promising 2024 season, and for Ayush, it marks a breakthrough moment after months of consistent performances on the challenger and international series circuits.
With both players still in their teens or early 20s, the future of Indian badminton seems firmly in safe hands.
Upcoming Matches to Watch
- Unnati Hooda vs Tomoka Miyazaki
Women’s Singles Semifinal
Taipei Open 2025 – Super 300 - Ayush Shetty vs Chou Tien Chen / Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah
Men’s Singles Semifinal
Taipei Open 2025 – Super 300
As India continues to make its mark on the BWF World Tour, the performances of these two young shuttlers will be closely watched. Regardless of the final outcome, this tournament has already been a resounding success for India’s next-gen.
