Unnati Hooda's Remarkable Journey Ends at China Open Quarterfinals

Unnati Hooda's China Open Campaign Concludes

Changzhou [China], July 25: Young Indian badminton player Unnati Hooda's impressive run at the China Open came to a halt as she faced a defeat against Akane Yamaguchi, the world number four and former champion, in the quarterfinals on Friday, as reported by the Badminton Association of India (BAI).

In the quarterfinal match, Unnati lost to Akane with scores of 16-21, 12-21. This was her debut in a BWF Super 1000 event, and at just 17 years old, she garnered attention for her bold performances throughout the tournament.

As per the BAI's announcement, she made history by becoming only the fourth Indian woman to reach the quarterfinals of a BWF Super 1000 event.

Unnati showcased her talent by defeating two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu to secure her spot in the women's singles quarterfinals on Thursday. The match highlighted the potential of India's badminton future, with Hooda competing against the experienced Sindhu. Hooda began strong, winning the first game 21-16, but Sindhu fought back to take the second game 21-19. In the final game, Hooda's skill shone through as she clinched the match 21-13.

Earlier in the tournament, Unnati had a dominant performance against Scottish player Kirsty Gilmour, winning 21-11, 21-16 in just 36 minutes.

In men's doubles, India's top pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, continued their successful streak at the China Open 2025, a BWF Super 1000 tournament, by advancing to the quarterfinals on Thursday. The World No. 12 duo secured a narrow victory over Indonesia's Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana with scores of 21-19, 21-19, reinforcing their aspirations for the title. Meanwhile, HS Prannoy faced World No. 6 Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei in men's singles but concluded his journey after a challenging match.