Korea Open review: Tanvi Sharma, Anmol Kharb offer glimpse of India’s badminton future

While H.S. Prannoy endured an early exit in Korea, Anmol Kharb and Tanvi Sharma showed promise. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

India’s campaign at the recently concluded Korea Open lost its star power before a shuttle was hit, with P.V. Sindhu and Lakshya Sen skipping the event to rest. Sindhu, a French Open finalist and Hylo Open champion, and Sen, also fresh from a Hylo Open title, left a wide-open draw to a younger squad. By the end of Wednesday, only two teenagers, Tanvi Sharma and Anmol Kharb, had reached the Round of 16, and both lost there.

H.S. Prannoy, India’s lone men’s singles entrant, lost 23-21, 21-15 to home player Yoo Tae-bin in the first round. It was his third straight opening-round exit on the World Tour this year. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Rawat and K. Maneesha lost 24-22 in the decider to China’s Zhu Yi Jun and Li Qian.

The qualifiers also had a tough week. Arjun Reddy Pochana and Achutaditya Rao Doddavarapu, unranked nine months ago and now inside the BWF top 100, lost 21-14, 21-5 to China’s Xie Zewei and Wang Yue Hang. Uganda International Series silver medallists Sonali Singh and Ritika Thaker gave a walkover.

Anmol beat Canada’s Rachel Chan in the Round of 32. She then stayed level with second seed and three-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi deep into both games of the Round of 16 through patient rally building, change-ups and sharp net play. However, Yamaguchi’s experience decided both games, 21-18.

Tanvi, 17, outlasted Japan’s Manami Suizu in three games in the Round of 32. Against Hina Akechi, sharp cross-court angles gave her a 17-16 lead in the opener, but Akechi stayed calm, took it 21-18, and turned the second game into a baseline grind, winning 21-12. Tanvi’s aggression and willingness to dictate the early tempo worked. Her finishing and stamina over long rallies did not. At her age, those are fixable flaws, and they point to promise more than concern.

With the senior names gone early, the teenagers were left to carry India’s hopes, and both showed that the next generation of women’s singles is already on court.