Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu was defeated by 17-year old rising teen sensation Unnati Hooda. Rising from Chamaria village in Haryana, Unnati grew up watching Sindhu play and dominate international courts. She would even mimic Sindhu’s trademark smashes and dreamed of training with her one day. In the pre-quarter final of China Open 2025, Unnati knocked about India’s star shuttler PV Sindhu as she prevailed 21-19, 19-21, 21-13. Now she will be facing Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi in the quarter-final.
Unnati Hooda’s Badminton Dream
At just 14, Unnati was picked for India’s Uber Cup in 2022. Even though she didn’t get a chance to play, just sharing the journey with champion PV Sindhu was a dream come true for her. Unnati Hooda started playing badminton at the age of seven and she has received incredible support from her father, who first enrolled her in the Chhotu Ram Stadium Badminton Academy. Her father even quit his job at a government college to support Unnati’s dream of becoming a badminton champion when she started playing at state level.
Also Read: China Open 2025: PV Sindhu Defeats Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki, Moves To Pre-Quarterfinals
First Meeting With Her Idol PV Sindhu
The first time Unnati met PV Sindhu was at the JBC Cup in Delhi, where Sindhu was the chief guest and presented Unnati with a gold medal. Later, Unnati took part in the Uber Cup 2022, which was led by PV Sindhu. She even cleared her class 12 exams this year and has now sealed her position in the China Open quarter-final.
The 17-Year Old Rising Teen Sensation
At just 14, Unnati stunned everyone by winnin the Odisha Open. She even became the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 title. Unnati was also the first Indian girl to reach the final of the Asia Junior Championship (U17), where she earned a silver medal. In 2023, Unnati managed to secure title wins in Abu Dhabi Masters and the India International Challenge, which helped her enter the world’s top 100 rankings.
