Tanvi Sharma Makes History, Reaches Final of BWF World Junior Championships

India’s top seed Tanvi Sharma continued her stellar run at the BWF World Junior Championships on Saturday, defeating China’s Liu Si Ya 15-11, 15-9 in a commanding semifinal performance. At just 16 years old, Tanvi has become only the third Indian female shuttler after Saina Nehwal and Aparna Popat to reach the final of the prestigious tournament.

Her victory guarantees India a medal at the World Junior Championships for the first time in 17 years, a testament to her rising status in international badminton. Tanvi will now face second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak of Thailand, who overcame compatriot Yataweemin Ketklieng 10-15, 15-11, 15-5 in a thrilling three-game semifinal.

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Clinical Semifinal Performance

Tanvi dominated from the start, employing cross-court pushes and deft front-court flicks to keep Liu on the defensive. She raced to a 7-3 lead in the opening game, briefly saw her advantage shrink to 8-7, but maintained composure to close the first game in just 13 minutes.

The second set saw Tanvi surge ahead to a 12-4 lead, signaling her control over the match. Despite a brief phase of unforced errors, a well-timed down-the-line smash helped her finish the contest decisively.

“I felt very comfortable today, and I am happy with how I played,” Tanvi said after the match. “In the second game, at 12-4, I made a few mistakes, but my coach advised me to play my strokes slightly inside the lines, and it worked perfectly.”

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Other Semifinal Highlights

In the men’s singles, Indonesia’s Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah emerged victorious in a thrilling match against China’s Li Chi Hang, winning 14-16, 16-14, 15-12. The hour-long contest demonstrated the high level of competition at the World Junior Championships this year.