Guwahati, Oct 16 (NationPress) Gnana Dattu and the mixed doubles pair of Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo delivered stunning performances, overcoming their higher-seeded rivals to advance to the quarterfinals of the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 held at the National Centre of Excellence today.

Gnana Dattu, making his debut at the world juniors, triumphed over the 8th seed Garret Tan from the USA with scores of 15-12, 15-13 in the boys’ singles category. Meanwhile, the duo of Bhavya and Vishakha rebounded after losing the first game, ultimately defeating the third-seeded French team of Thibault Gardon and Agathe Cuevas with a scoreline of 12-15, 15-11, 15-12 to secure their place in the quarterfinals.

In the girls’ singles, top seed Tanvi Sharma showcased her skills, dominating Sun Li Yuan from China with a convincing 15-8, 15-5 victory. Unnati Hooda, seeded eighth, made a comeback after a rocky start, overcoming Carine Tee from Malaysia with scores of 15-10, 15-7. In the quarterfinals, Tanvi will face Japan’s Saki Matsumoto, while Unnati is set to compete against second seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak from Thailand.

While Tanvi and Unnati fulfilled expectations, Gnana Dattu and the pair of Bhavya and Vishakha surpassed theirs, inching closer to potential medals.

Demonstrating exceptional skill against a seasoned opponent, Gnana Dattu executed clever flicks and precise pushes, particularly under pressure, to outmaneuver Tan.

Both players focused on minimizing errors initially, but it was Gnana who seized the lead at 8-8. Mastering the conditions and understanding his opponent’s strategy, the 17-year-old created scoring opportunities with delightful slow drops and sharp dribbles, establishing a comfortable lead before maintaining his composure to win.

In the second game, Tan saved three match points while trailing 10-14, but Gnana regained focus to secure his quarterfinal position on the fourth match point.

“Although he had more experience from senior tournaments, I believed I could win if I played my best, and I’m thrilled I managed to do that today,” stated Gnana Dattu, reflecting on his first World Junior Championships.

On the nearby court, Bhavya and Vishakha effectively executed their game plan from a favorable side to surprise the third seeds from France.

After dropping the first game, the Indian duo adopted a more aggressive strategy in the second. The final game was intense, with the third seeds switching ends at 8-6 and appearing to lead comfortably at 11-8. This prompted the Indians to adjust their tactics, preventing their opponents from attacking, which allowed Bhavya to find open shots and turn the match around with six consecutive points.

“When we were down 8-11, our coach advised us to be more aggressive and play softer at the net to facilitate more attacking opportunities. We followed his advice, as attacking was easier from this side,” commented Bhavya post-match. Bhavya and Vishakha will next challenge Hung Bing Fu and Chou Yun An from Chinese Taipei, who defeated Korea’s Kim Tae Hyun and Moon In Seo 15-9, 15-11 in the preceding pre-quarterfinals.