It turned out to be a day of upsets in both the women’s singles as well as the men’s singles. Senior pro Shruti Mundada, Parul Choudhary and rising star Tanvi Patri upset higher ranked opponents to reach the women’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the Senior National badminton championships in Vijayawada on Thursday.
The experienced Shruti dished out one of the most convincing performances of the day as she dismantled seventh seed Jiya Rawat in straight games. The 21-14, 21-9 scoreline reflects Shruti’s control of the rallies, as she dictated play from the backcourt and kept her errors to a minimum. Her ability to take the shuttle early and vary the pace repeatedly put Rawat under severe pressure, allowing Shruti to close out the match with authority.
Parul Choudhary’s victory, however, came after a far more demanding battle on the court. She was up against Shreya Lele, the ninth seed, and hence Parul had to dig deep into her resources after losing the opening game 18-21. The first game too was keenly fought but Parel gave in when it mattered most. However, she responded with a change in approach and that made all the difference to the match. She tightened her defence and saw that the rallies were extended to draw errors from her opponent. The move paid off as Parul edged the second game 21-18 before dominating the decider 21-12. The three-game win not only highlighted her physical conditioning but also her mental resilience, an attribute that often proves decisive in the latter stages of national championships.
Young Tanvi Patri continued to underline her promise by knocking out eighth seed Isharani Baruah. Tanvi showed composure beyond her years in a closely contested encounter, winning 22-20, 21-19. Both games hinged on key moments late on, where Tanvi held her nerve, constructed points patiently and capitalised on half-chances. The result further strengthens her growing reputation as one of the younger players capable of challenging the established names on the national stage.
The top seeds, however, had no problems in negotiating their rivals. Top seed Unnati Hooda, second seed Anupama Upadhyaya, third seed Anmol Kharb and world junior silver medallist Tanvi Sharma. They brooked no challenge and kept their campaign on course.
The men’s singles draw also had its fair share of drama. Aryaman Tandon produced a strong comeback to upset third seed M Raghu in the round of 32. After dropping the opening game 17-21, Aryaman raised his intensity significantly, dominating the second game 21-11 before sealing the contest 21-14. His ability to wrest back momentum and maintain pressure through the decisive stages was a clear highlight of the day.
Further upsets followed as Abhinav Garg and Rithvik Sanjeevi S joined Aryaman in the pre-quarterfinals. Garg accounted for 10th seed Abhinav Thakur with a solid 21-19, 21-16 victory, which marked by sharp net play and effective shot selection. Rithvik, meanwhile, overcame 13th seed Orijit Chaliha 21-15, 21-19, showing impressive consistency and control across both games to deny his higher-ranked opponent any sustained momentum.
In mixed doubles, Nitin Kumar and Kanika Kanwal delivered one of the day’s most eye-catching results by upsetting sixth seeds Kevin Wong CC and Pranavi N. The 23-21, 21-15 victory was built on strong coordination and timely aggression, particularly in the opening game where Nitin and Kanika held firm under pressure to clinch a tight finish.
As the championships move into the pre-quarterfinals, the results so far underline the competitive depth of Indian badminton. With experienced players rediscovering form and younger athletes making confident strides, the Senior Nationals in Vijayawada have already delivered a reminder that rankings alone offer no guarantees. The coming rounds promise further high-quality contests as the battle for national supremacy intensifies.
