Guwahati, Oct 13: Indian shuttlers Lalthazuala Hmar and Vennala K made a strong start in the BWF World Junior Championships, notching convincing wins in their opening individual matches on Monday. Their victories marked an all-successful start for India on the individual front, after the team had secured a historic bronze in the team championships.
The seeded Indian players, having received byes in the first round, watched from the sidelines as their unseeded compatriots kicked off their campaigns at the National Centre of Excellence. Among the early competitors was Mizoram’s Lalthazuala Hmar, who dispatched Uganda's Denis Mukasa in just 14 minutes, with a scoreline of 15-4, 15-4.
Later, Gnana Dattu TT took to the court, overcoming initial nerves in a challenging match against Hungary’s Milan Mesterhazy. After a shaky start resulting in a first-game loss, Dattu bounced back remarkably to win 5-15, 15-7, 15-7. The Asian junior championships bronze medalist Vennala K showcased her skill and composure, dominating Ireland’s Siofra Flynn 15-1, 15-6 in the girls' singles opening round.
Dattu, notably the only Indian to struggle on the day, did not compete in the team event and attributed his early jitters to inexperience. "This is my first World Juniors and I was clearly nervous in the first game," he admitted. "Facing a European player for just the second time, it took me some time to adjust to their style. However, switching sides in the second game boosted my confidence."
Next, Dattu is set to meet Joaquim Mendonca from Brazil in the subsequent round. Meanwhile, other notable matches included China's Liu Si Ya, the Asian Junior Championship silver medalist, who was pushed to exert at full throttle to edge past Japan's Yurika Nagafuchi 15-10, 15-13. Brazil's Bruno Alonso put up a valiant effort before falling 15-9, 15-7 against China's Xiao Gao Bo.
Elsewhere, Sri Lanka’s Thidasa Weragoda staged a dramatic comeback after an initial setback, overcoming Malaysia's Boon Le Lim 4-15, 15-8, 17-15.
Attention now turns to the seeded players who begin their campaigns on Tuesday, with a particular spotlight on Indian rising stars in girls' singles—top seed Tanvi Sharma, eighth seed Unnati Hooda, and seasoned campaigner Rakshitha Sree.
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