Guwahati, India – Tanvi Sharma's historic run at the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 concluded with a silver medal after a hard-fought final against Thailand's Anyapat Phichitpreechasak. The top-seeded Sharma, the current world No. 1 in the junior BWF rankings, lost to the second-seeded Phichitpreechasak 15-7, 15-12 in a 28-minute match.
Sharma's silver is India's first at the World Junior Championships in 17 years. Saina Nehwal remains the only Indian to win a gold medal at the Junior World Championships, which she achieved in 2008. Overall, Sharma is only the fifth Indian to reach the final of the competition, joining an elite list that includes Aparna Popat (1996), Saina Nehwal (2006, 2008), Siril Verma (2015), and Sankar Muthusamy (2022).
The final match saw a tentative start from the 16-year-old Sharma, who struggled with Phichitpreechasak's innovative drop shots and committed unforced errors. The Thai player built a 10-5 lead in the first game with deceptive returns, eventually securing it when Sharma's backhand went into the net.
In the second game, Sharma started strong, gaining a 6-1 lead with precise deep returns. However, errors at the net allowed Phichitpreechasak to close the gap to 7-5. Sharma managed to hold an 8-5 lead at the interval, but the Thai player leveled the score and took a 9-8 lead. Phichitpreechasak extended her advantage with well-constructed points and sharp cross-court winners, maintaining control until the end. Sharma showed resilience at 9-13 with a skillful net dribble and won a disputed point after a long rally, but another shot sent wide gave Phichitpreechasak three championship points. The Thai player then sealed the title with a powerful smash.
En route to the final, Sharma had a dominant run, defeating China's Liu Si Ya in the semi-finals with a comfortable 15-11, 15-9 victory. In the quarter-finals, she overcame Japan's Saki Matsumoto in a 47-minute thriller, coming back from a game down to win 13-15, 15-9, 15-10.
Sharma's achievement marks India's 12th individual medal at the Junior World Championships, with one gold, five silver, and six bronze. Earlier in the tournament, India also won a mixed team bronze medal. Sharma also secured a bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships earlier this year.
Sharma, who is currently ranked 47th in the world, was born on December 22, 2008, in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Introduced to badminton by her mother, Meena Sharma, she joined the Gopichand Academy in 2016.
Despite the loss in the final, Sharma's silver medal is a significant achievement, highlighting her potential and marking her as a rising star in Indian badminton.
