Indian Shuttlers Shine at China Masters Tournament

Victories for Indian Players in Singles Events

Shenzhen, China - On September 2, Indian badminton players Kidambi Srikanth and Tanvi Sharma achieved significant victories in their respective singles matches at the ongoing China Masters tournament.

In the men's singles first round, Kidambi Srikanth triumphed over Chi Yu Jen with scores of 21-16 and 21-15.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Tanvi Sharma, who recently earned a silver medal at the World Junior Championships, defeated world number 40 Amalie Schulz in a tightly contested match, winning 21-16, 21-17.

Mixed Doubles Success and Early Exits

The Indian team also made strides in the mixed doubles category, where Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto secured a convincing victory against the duo of Tonkid Saeheng and Tonrug Saeheng, winning 21-8, 21-9 in their opening match.

However, Lakshya Sen, a prominent contender and Commonwealth Games champion, faced an unexpected defeat in the first round, losing to Victor Lai with scores of 14-21, 7-21.

Additionally, Devika Sahag was eliminated by Kaloyana Nalabantova, losing 18-21, 15-21 in the women's singles first round.

Unnati Hooda's First Round Exit

Unnati Hooda, another promising Indian player, was knocked out of the China Masters 2026 in her opening match against world number 12 Kim Ga-eun. The 18-year-old, currently ranked 25th globally, lost in straight games, 21-10, 21-18, after a competitive 37-minute match at the Shenzhen Sports Centre Gymnasium.

Kim started strong, taking a 4-0 lead in the first game and extending it to 11-3 at the mid-game interval. Although Unnati fought back in the second game, briefly leading at 15-14, Kim ultimately secured the win by clinching the last three points.

This match marked the first encounter between Unnati and Kim, with the latter recently winning the Macau Open and being part of the gold medal-winning South Korean women's team at the Asian Games 2023.