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Odisha Masters Opening Day: Young Indian Shuttlers Shine with Major Upsets

The opening day of the Odisha Masters 2025 was marked by thrilling performances from India's young badminton talents. Rounak Chouhan, Isharani Baruah, and Tasnim Mir all pulled off significant upsets against higher-seeded opponents. Established stars like Unnati Hooda and Kiran George also progressed comfortably to the next round. The strong start sets up an exciting tournament for the Indian contingent at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack.

Key Points: Rounak Chouhan, Isharani Baruah Lead Indian Upsets at Odisha Masters

  • Rounak Chouhan staged a comeback to defeat third seed Jason Gunawan in a 64-minute battle
  • Isharani Baruah dominated second seed Pornpicha Choeikeewong in a swift 32-minute upset
  • Top seeds Unnati Hooda and Kiran George advanced with commanding straight-game victories
  • Tasnim Mir and Anmol Kharb both fought back from a game down to secure their next-round spots
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Odisha Masters 2025: Rounak Chouhan, Isharani Baruah & Tasnim Mir shine with big upsets; Unnati, Tanvi, Kiran advance

Young Indian stars Rounak Chouhan, Isharani Baruah, and Tasnim Mir score big wins on Day 1 of the Odisha Masters 2025 badminton tournament in Cuttack.

"India's young brigade lit up the opening day of the main draw at the Odisha Masters with a series of impressive wins and major upsets. - Tournament Release"

Cuttack, December 10

India's young brigade lit up the opening day of the main draw at the Odisha Masters with a series of impressive wins and major upsets, headlined by Rounak Chouhan, Isharani Baruah and Tasnim Mir. Top performers Unnati Hooda, Tanvi Sharma, Kiran George also moved confidently into the next round, as per a release.

Rounak Chouhan, part of India's historic World Junior Championships medal-winning squad, produced one of the biggest results of the day by defeating Syed Modi title winner Jason Gunawan in a gripping 64-minute R32 battle. After dropping the opening game 15-21, the Indian youngster fought back brilliantly to outplay the third seed from Hong Kong China 21-17, 21-19. Rounak will now face fellow Indian Varun Kapur, who defeated Bharath Latheesh of the UAE 21-16, 16-21, 21-19 in 56 minutes.

Top-seeded men's singles players Tharun Mannepalli and Kiran George received byes in the R64. Tharun cruised into the pre-quarters with a commanding 21-5, 21-8 win over Manav Choudhary in just 27 minutes and will next meet compatriot Govind Krishna, who beat Kavin Thangam 21-12, 19-21, 21-15. Second seed Kiran George also advanced with a 21-12, 21-13 victory over Rajesh Srikar and will face Indonesia's Dendi Triansyah in the next round.

In the women's singles draw, Isharani Baruah delivered the biggest upset of the day, outplaying second seed Pornpicha Choeikeewong of Thailand 21-15, 21-8 in a dominant 32-minute performance. The 21-year-old from Assam later received a walkover in the R16, securing her place in the quarterfinals.

Top seed Unnati Hooda began her campaign defeating UAE's Prakriti Bharath 21-12, 21-18 in 32 minutes. She will meet Tidapron Kleebyeesun of Thailand in the pre-quarters after the Thai shuttler defeated Stefani Stoeva of Bulgaria 21-16, 21-15. Third seed Tanvi Sharma also progressed with a 21-8, 17-21, 21-18 win over Japan's Anna Iwaki and will next face fellow Indian Aditi Bhatt, who edged out Liang Ka Wing 21-19, 24-22, as per a release.

Tasnim Mir added to India's list of upsets by defeating fourth seed Rakshitha Sree. After losing the opening game 17-21, Tasnim bounced back strongly to take the next two 21-17, 21-13 and seal her place in the pre-quarters. Arctic Open semifinalist Anmol Kharb also advanced, overcoming Thailand's Yataweemin Ketklieng in a tense 1 hour 8 minute showdown. After dropping the first game 17-21, Anmol recovered to claim the second 21-19 and edged out the decider 23-21. She will face Japan's Shiori Ebihara in the next round.

As action continues on Day 2 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack, India's contingent has made a strong start with several promising line-ups for the upcoming rounds in the race for the coveted title.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
I'm so impressed with Isharani Baruah! To defeat the second seed from Thailand 21-15, 21-8 is absolutely dominant. And she's from Assam - great to see talent emerging from all corners of India. Wishing her luck in the quarters!
P
Priya S
While the wins are exciting, I hope the media and BAI don't put too much pressure on these young players. Let them develop at their own pace. Remember what happened with some past talents who were hyped too soon. Just a respectful thought.
V
Vikram M
Anmol Kharb's win was a proper thriller! 23-21 in the decider against a Thai player. That's the kind of mental strength we need. Bas ab quarterfinal tak jaaye sab. Cuttack stadium must be rocking!
R
Rohit P
Good to see Odisha hosting such events. After the Hockey World Cup and now this, the sports infrastructure in the state is really being utilized. Hope more states follow.
K
Kiran H
Unnati, Tanvi, and Kiran George advancing as expected. They are the steady rocks. But the real story is the upsets by Rounak, Isharani, and Tasnim. That depth is what will make us a badminton powerhouse. 💪

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