Rounak Chouhan Shocks Top Seed at US Open Badminton

Rounak Chouhan's Stunning Victory

In a remarkable turn of events at the US Open badminton tournament, Rounak Chouhan of India achieved a significant upset by defeating the top seed and World No. 6, Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei, in straight sets on Thursday.

Ranked 80th globally, Chouhan, who previously contributed to India's bronze medal at the world junior championships, triumphed with scores of 21-17 and 26-24. This victory propels him into the quarterfinals, where he will face Misha Zilberman from Israel.

The 18-year-old Indian player maintained pressure on his seasoned opponent right from the start. Although Chou led 17-15 in the first game, Chouhan surged ahead by winning six consecutive points to take the game. In the second game, despite Chou trailing 11-17, he rallied back to level the score after another six-point streak. The match became intensely competitive as Chouhan saved four game points before securing his win on his second match point, completing the match in 49 minutes.

Other Indian Players Shine

Several other Indian players also advanced to the quarterfinals, including world junior silver medalist Tanvi Sharma, Rakshitha Sree, and Devika Sihag in the women's singles category. Tanvi, seeded fifth, overcame Tung Ciou-Tong from Chinese Taipei with a score of 21-12, 21-19. Rakshitha triumphed over her compatriot Chen Su Yu with a score of 21-4, 21-19, while sixth-seeded Devika secured her place by defeating Tonrug Saeheng from Thailand, 21-17, 21-19.

Veteran player Kidambi Srikanth also contributed to a successful day for India, winning against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia with a score of 21-14, 21-13.