In Guwahati, the mixed doubles team of Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo, along with Gnana Dattu, upset their higher-ranked adversaries to advance to the quarterfinals of the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 at the National Centre of Excellence on Thursday. Gnana Dattu, competing in his first world juniors, triumphed over 8th seed Garret Tan from the USA with scores of 15-12, 15-13 in boys’ singles. Meanwhile, Bhavya and Vishakha rallied after losing the first game to defeat the third-seeded French duo of Thibault Gardon and Agathe Cuevas, winning 12-15, 15-11, 15-12 to secure their quarterfinal position.
In the girls’ singles, top seed Tanvi Sharma dominated China’s Sun Li Yuan, winning 15-8, 15-5, while eighth seed Unnati Hooda overcame a challenging start to defeat Carine Tee of Malaysia 15-10, 15-7. In the quarterfinals, Tanvi is set to compete against Japan’s Saki Matsumoto, and Unnati will face Thailand’s second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak. While Tanvi and Unnati met expectations, Gnana Dattu, along with Bhavya and Vishakha, exceeded theirs, edging closer to a potential medal. Gnana showcased impressive skills against his more experienced opponent, executing crucial late flicks and flat pushes under pressure. Both players initially focused on minimizing errors, but Dattu seized the lead after an 8-8 tie.
In the second game, although Tan saved three match points while down 10-14, Dattu maintained his composure to secure victory on the fourth match point. “Despite his experience from senior tournaments, I believed I could win if I played my best, and I’m thrilled to have accomplished that today,” remarked Gnana Dattu. On an adjacent court, Bhavya and Toppo effectively implemented their strategy from the advantageous side to overcome the French third seeds.
