The 15-year-old Odisha shuttler becomes the first Indian woman to reach the badminton singles final at the Youth Olympics.
Tanvi Patri scripted a memorable milestone for Indian badminton, storming into the girls’ singles final at the Youth Olympic Games after defeating Japan’s Yuzuno Watanabe 21-14, 11-21, 21-19 in a gripping semifinal on Wednesday.
The 15-year-old from Odisha became the first Indian woman to reach the badminton singles final at the Youth Olympics, putting herself within one victory of a historic gold medal.
Tanvi had to dig deep against the Japanese shuttler in a fiercely contested three-game encounter. She started strongly, taking the opening game 21-14, but Watanabe responded emphatically in the second, winning it 21-11 to force a decider.
With a place in the final at stake, the contest went down to the wire. Tanvi, however, displayed composure and determination under pressure, holding her nerve in the deciding game to clinch it 21-19.
The victory capped another impressive performance by the young Indian, who has continued to make her presence felt on the international stage.
With the semifinal hurdle behind her, Tanvi is now assured of at least a silver medal and will have an opportunity to create further history by winning gold in the final.
Her achievement marks an important moment for Indian badminton, particularly in the girls’ singles category at the Youth Olympic Games.
