Indian shuttlers launched their individual campaigns in the BWF World Junior Championships with a flawless record at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati on Monday. According to a release from the Badminton Association of India (BAI), none of the players faced significant pressure during their matches. The seeded Indian players received byes in the opening round, while their unseeded counterparts had to battle early to advance.
Lalthazuala Hmar was the first Indian to compete, securing a quick victory over Denis Mukasa from Uganda with a score of 15-4, 15-4 in just 14 minutes. Later, Gnana Dattu TT overcame initial nerves to defeat Hungary’s Milan Mesterhazy 5-15, 15-7, 15-7 in the boys’ singles. Meanwhile, Asian Junior Championships bronze medalist Vennala K dominated Ireland’s Siofra Flynn, winning 15-1, 15-6 in the girls’ singles opening round.
Despite his eventual victory, Gnana Dattu struggled on his first day, attributing his rocky start to nerves. The Hyderabad-born athlete noted numerous errors in his opening game but regained his composure to control the match afterwards. “This is my first World Juniors and I was clearly nervous in the first game. It was also my second encounter with a European player, which took time for me to adjust to their play style. However, once I settled into the second game, I felt confident about winning,” he said. Gnana Dattu is set to face Joaquim Mendonca from Brazil in the second round.
In the mixed doubles events, three of India’s four pairs performed well, advancing to the next round without significant difficulty. Vansh Dev and Dianka Waldia triumphed over Anish Nair and Mia Fox of England, winning 15-6, 15-11. Similarly, Vishnu Kedhar Kode and Keerthy Manchala defeated Ghana’s Obapomba Adu-Mintah and Moslena Ama Korama 15-7, 15-8, while C Lalramsanga and Taarini Suri rallied to overcome Ireland’s Senan O’Rourke and Michelle Shochan 15-13, 15-9.
Other notable performances on the first day included Liu Si Ya of China, a silver medalist at the Asian Junior Championships, who had to work hard for her win over Yurika Nagafuchi of Japan, finishing 15-10, 15-13. Bruno Alonso from Brazil also fought valiantly but ultimately lost 15-9, 15-7 against China’s Xiao Gao Bo. Sri Lanka’s Thidasa Weragoda made a remarkable comeback after losing the first game, defeating Malaysia’s Boon Le Lim 4-15, 15-8, 17-15.
All seeded players will commence their campaigns on Tuesday, with keen attention on Indian girls’ singles stars: top seed Tanvi Sharma, eighth seed Unnati Hooda, and seasoned player Rakshitha Sree.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/10/14/indian-shuttlers-make-strong-start-on-day-1/
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Publish Date: 2025-10-14 06:38:00
