Rising Indian badminton star Tanvi Sharma scripted history on Saturday, becoming only the third Indian female to reach the final of the BWF World Junior Championships, following in the footsteps of Aparna Popat and Saina Nehwal.
The 16-year-old top seed produced a commanding performance to defeat China’s Liu Si Ya 15-11, 15-9 in the semifinals of the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati.
Tanvi, who is already assured of a medal — India’s first in the girls’ singles category in 17 years — will now face second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak of Thailand in the gold medal match. Anyapat came from a game down to beat compatriot Yataweemin Ketklieng 10-15, 15-11, 15-5 in the other semifinal.
From the very first rally, Tanvi looked in total control, attacking Liu’s backhand side with deft flicks and sharp cross-court pushes. She built a quick 7-3 lead in the opening game and never looked under pressure even as the Chinese shuttler tried to close in. The Indian wrapped up the first game in just 13 minutes with her trademark cross-court smash.
In the second game, Tanvi unleashed her full attacking range to race to a 12-4 lead, moving her opponent all across the court with a combination of quick drives and down-the-line smashes. A brief spell of errors gave Liu a few points, but Tanvi regained control and sealed the match as Liu’s forehand drive went wide.
“I was feeling very comfortable today and I am very happy with the way I played. It was only in the second game at 12-4 that I made a few mistakes but my coach told me to focus on playing slightly inside the lines and it worked,” said Tanvi after the match. “Now, I’m aiming to walk in Saina’s footsteps and clinch the world junior title on home turf.”
Tanvi, who has been training at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati for almost a year, has shown remarkable maturity and consistency throughout the tournament. Her adaptability and fearless shot-making have made her one of the standout performers at this edition of the World Juniors.
In the boys’ singles, top-seeded Mohd. Zaki Ubaidillah of Indonesia survived a thrilling three-game contest to overcome China’s Li Zhi Hang 14-16, 16-14, 15-12, saving three match points in the second game before staging a dramatic comeback.
Results (Until 2:30 PM):
Men’s Singles:
Mohd. Zaki Ubaidillah (Indonesia) bt Li Zhi Hang (China) 14-16, 16-14, 15-12
Women’s Singles:
Tanvi Sharma (India) bt Liu Si Ya (China) 15-11, 15-9
Anyapat Phichitpreechasak (Thailand) bt Yataweemin Ketklieng (Thailand) 10-15, 15-11, 15-5
Mixed Doubles:
Hung Bing Fu/Chou Yun An (Chinese Taipei) bt Loh Ziheng/Noraqilah Maisarah (Malaysia) 13-15, 15-12, 15-8
Lee Hyeong Woo/Cheon Hye In (Korea) bt Chen Jun Ting/Cao Zi Han (China) 15-6, 16-14
