India's juniors reach quarterfinals at World Junior Championships in Guwahati

Indian junior shuttlers carried the momentum of a historic mixed-team bronze into the individual phase of the BWF World Junior Championships this week in Guwahati, producing a string of strong results at the National Centre of Excellence. Top seed Tanvi Sharma and eighth seed Unnati Hooda moved into the quarterfinals, while surprise performances from Gnana Dattu TT and the mixed pair Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo deepened India’s challenge across disciplines.

The individual draw, which began Monday, saw seeded Indians benefit from first-round byes while other squad members had to win early matches to reach the main rounds. Tanvi, the junior world number one, recorded a rapid 15-2, 15-1 victory in 11 minutes over Poland’s Wiktoria Kaletka and later beat China’s Li Yuan Sun 15-8, 15-5 to reach the last eight. Unnati, who has gained exposure on the senior circuit this year, also progressed with wins including 15-8, 15-5 over the United States’ Alice Wang and a 15-10, 15-7 victory over Malaysia’s Carine Tee to set up a quarterfinal against second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak of Thailand.

Seventeen-year-old Gnana Dattu emerged as one of the tournament’s breakout performers....