Telangana shuttlers Nihal & Avni emerge U-17 champions, Anvi & Aditya clinch U-15 crowns

Telangana shuttlers Tanmai Nihal Uttam and Avni Vikram Goud won the boys’ and girls’ singles titles in the Under-17 age category of the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior (U-15 & 17) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2026, organized by the Badminton Association of Telangana, at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad on Saturday.

In the boys’ singles final, Tanmai Nihal Uttam came from a game behind to get the better of Tamil Nadu’s Suhaas KR. In what was a keenly fought contest, Suhaas drew first blood as he took the first game at 21-16. However, Uttam was in no mood to concede the fight. He strapped up his boots and came roaring back into contention. He won the second game at 21-18 and then brooked no challenge in the final game as Suhaas wilted under the pressure. Uttam took the final game at 21-15 to emerge champion.

In the girls’ singles final, which was an all-Telangana battle, Avni Vikram Govind overcame mid-match blues to pip Hamsini Chadaram in yet another three-game battle.

Avni began well as she kept her rival on her toes. Avni got the big points when needed the most and carved out a 21-17 win in the first game. However, Hamsini staged a comeback in the second one as she put Anvi under pressure. Anvi cracked and Hamsini took the game at 21-18. But Hamsini’s comeback faltered in the final game as Avni came back strongly to take the game and match at 21-14.

Hamsini Chadaram also had the misfortune of losing the Under-15 singles’ final. Hamsini, to her credit, fought brilliantly but was overpowered by Anvi Rathore of Rajasthan.

Hamsini gained the upperhand in the final as she won the first game 21-18 but was unable to maintain her grip on the match. Anvi Rathore clawed her way back into contention by winning the second game 21-17 and there was no stopping the Rajasthan shuttler as she took the final game at 21-13.

The boys’ singles’ title was won by Aditya Singh Negi of Uttarakhand. Aditya brooked no challenge against Gautham S Nair of Karnataka as he won the final in straight games 21-14, 2-8.

Anushakaa Jennifer AS and Kaveyugan KA of Tamil Nadu clinched the Under-17 mixed doubles title after a thrilling three-game battle against Telangana’s Girivasan Saravana Kumar and Assam’s Bhavishya Changmai.

Anushkaa and Kaveyugan lost the first game 16-21 but came back strongly to take the next two games at 21-7 and 21-13 and emerge champions.

Anushkaa Jennifer AS, however, lost the girls’ doubles final. She and fellow statemate Dheeshitha Singha Gopinath Singh went down fighting to Alisha Bhandari and Shubhangi Chaudhary of Uttarkhand 17-21, 21-10, 14-21.

Telangana IT minister D Sridhar Babu with the winners and runners-up of the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior (U-15 & 17) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2026 in Hyderabad on Saturday. Also seen are Badminton Association of Telangana vice-president V Chamundeswara Nath and general secretary Kanuri Vamsidhar

Results (finals): Under-15 boys’ singles: Aditya Singh Negi (UTR) beat Gautham S Nair (KTK) 21-14, 21-8.

Girls’ singles: Anvi Rathore (RAJ) beat Hamsini Chadaram (TG) 18-21, 21-17, 21-13.

Mixed doubles: Liansangpuia (MIZ) / Kimkim Khongsai (NAG) beat Vishal Uthappa BB (KTK) / Hansika Rakesh (KTK) 21-10, 21-15.

Boys’ doubles: Taabin Anuf Ahamed MF (TN) / Srichethan Shourya Samala (TG) beat Gautham S Nair (KTK) / Siddharth S Nair (KTK) 21-19, 21-17.

Girls’ doubles: Alexia Elsa Alexander (KER) / Jaya Saptha Sri M (TN) beat Hamsa Muralidhara (KTK) / Mahitha Surisetty (KTK) 22-24, 21-11, 21-18.

Under-17 boys’ singles: Tanmai Nihal Uttam (TG) beat Suhaas KR (TN) 16-21, 21-18, 21-15.

Girls’ singles: Avni Vikram Govind (TG) beat Hamsini Chadaram (TG) 21-17, 18-21, 21-14.

Mixed doubles: Kaveyugan KA (TN) / Anushkaa Jennifer AS (TN) beat Girivasan Saravana Kumar (TG) / Bhavishya Changmai (ASM) 16-21, 21-7, 21-13.

Boys’ doubles: Shahid Ibrahim Peer Ahamed Buhari (TN) / Adhav Surya RJ (TN) beat Vivaan Bisht (DLI) / Shaurya Singh Rana (UTR) 21-17, 21-16.

Girls’ doubles: Alisha Bhandari (UTR) / Shubhangi Chaudhary (UTR) beat 4-Anushkaa Jennifer AS (TN) / Dheeshitha Singha Gopinath Singh (TN) 21-17, 10-21, 21-14.