Tanvi Sharma becomes 3rd only Indian female to reach BWF World Junior finals
Guwahati: Tanvi Sharma delivered a near-perfect performance to reach the girls' singles final of the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati. The 16-year-old created history by becoming only the third Indian female to reach the summit clash of the tournament, following Aparna Popat and former world No. 1 Saina Nehwal. She secured a commanding 15-11, 15-9 victory over China’s Liu Si Ya, the Asian Junior Championships silver medalist, in just 31 minutes.
Tanvi, the top seed, will face Thailand’s second-seeded Anyapat Phichitpreechasak in the final after the latter came back from a game down to defeat compatriot Yataweemin Ketklieng 10-15, 15-11, 15-5 in the other semifinal. Tanvi had already guaranteed India a medal by reaching the semifinals—the first Indian female medalist at the World Junior Championships in 17 years.
Throughout her semi-final, Tanvi showcased aggressive play and tactical mastery, opening with a strong lead and controlling the pace. She used deft flicks and sharp cross-court shots to keep Liu off balance. Despite a brief lapse at 12-4 in the second game, Tanvi’s coach advised her to focus on precision, which helped her regain control and close out the match.
On the boys’ side, India’s Mohd. Zaki Ubaidillah also exhibited resilience in a thrilling three-game battle against China’s Li Zhi Hang, winning 14-16, 16-14, 15-12 after saving three match points.
With inputs from IANS