Thunderous crowd, pounding drums, and chants of “her name” Guwahati saw something unprecedented in Indian badminton history on Sunday when 17-year-old Tanvi Sharma strode into the final of the BWF World Junior Championships. Seventeen years since Saina Nehwal’s historic medal, India had another teenage finalist who bore the nation’s hopes.
Diwali Dreams Dim, But a Star Is Born
It was a night of charged tension and elevating optimism as tournament number one seed Tanvi Sharma played Thailand’s Anyapat Phichitpreechasak in the girls’ singles final. The Indian teenager started tentatively, finding it difficult to discover her characteristic rhythm as Anyapat dominated initial rallies with guile and velocity.
Coach Park Jae Tang’s pep talk challenging Tanvi to “play everything on the court” came briefly close to sparking a comeback. She took a 6-1 lead in the second game, but the Thai shuttler rallied to close out the match 15-7, 15-12 in 28 minutes. The silver medal, though a heartbreaker, was India’s first World Junior medal in 17 years and served to rekindle faith in the country’s next generation of shuttlers.
Tanvi’s Take: ‘A Silver at Home Feels Like Gold’
Moments after the final, Tanvi faced the cameras with grace beyond her years.
“Of course I am delighted with my performance a silver medal at my home venue means everything. I trained here, so it means a lot. It was a wonderful tournament, though today was slightly disappointing. But I gave my best,” she told a source, receiving thunderous applause from the Guwahati crowd.
Her poise and humility betrayed not defeat, but resolve the signature of every great Indian champion who came before her.
From Saina’s Legacy to Tanvi’s Leap
Carrying the legacy of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu, Tanvi confessed to pre-match butterflies but no fear. “It was special playing in front of this crowd for the first time. I’m proud of what I achieved,” she said.
She also praised the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, attributing it to the development of the next generation of Indian badminton. “The coaching and infrastructure are world-class. It will assist in uplifting the next generation,” she furthered.
