India beats Korea to confirm BWF World Junior mixed team medal
India's junior badminton team secured their first-ever mixed-team medal at the BWF World Junior Championships by defeating Korea 44-45, 45-30, 45-33 in a thrilling quarterfinal. They will face Indonesia in the semi-finals, with a historic medal now guaranteed
Hyderabad: India rode on the energy of the vociferous fans and the knowledge of home conditions to beat Korea and assure themselves of a historic BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships medal at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati on Thursday.
The hosts came through a nerve-wracking quarterfinal clash that lasted almost three hours, needing the team to pick themselves up after a heartbreaking reversal in the opening set to beat Korea 44-45, 45-30, 45-33. This victory set up a semi-final clash against Asian Under-19 Mixed Team champions Indonesia, who defeated Chinese Taipei 45-35, 45-35.
The semi-final appearance also assured India of their first-ever mixed-team medal in the history of the BWF World Junior Championships.
The way India had lined up for the quarterfinals made it clear that they were heavily relying on their singles players to bail them out in case the Koreans made the most of their doubles strength.
The first set went according to plan, as Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu went down 5-9 in the first boys’ doubles against Cho Hyeong Woo and Lee Hyeong Woo. The girls’ doubles combination of Vennala K and Reshika U managed to reduce the deficit by one point by beating Cheon Hye In and Moon In Seo 10-9, before Rounak Chouhan brought them within one point by beating Choi Ah Seung 11-9.
However, a 4-9 loss for C Lalramsanga and Aanya Bisht in the mixed doubles against Lee and Cheon meant that Unnati Hooda had to win 15 points before her opponent Kim Han Bi could reach nine. Unnati began strong by taking a 3-0 lead, but Kim managed to draw level at 6-6, and it felt as though the set was slipping from India’s hands.
However, Unnati dug deep, played long rallies to win five straight points, built pressure on her opponent, and then went on to draw level at 44-44. However, her serve on set point landed in the net, and the distraught Unnati dropped her racquet in despair.
India made two substitutions ahead of the second set, with Lalramsanga replacing Gobburu in boys’ doubles and Vishakha Toppo coming in for Bisht.
Lalramsanga and Bhargav then gave India a positive start with a 9-7 win over Cho and Lee. Vennala and Reshika extended that advantage to six points. India never looked back thereafter, and by the time Unnati took the court for the second set, they were already leading by nine points, and all she had to do was wrap up the set.
The third set started in the same manner, as Lalramsanga and Bhargav gave India a 9-4 lead. But Vennala and Reshika ran out of steam after the first 10 points, and the Korean combination of Cheon and Moon put their team ahead by two points.
Chouhan then stepped up and turned the match decisively in India’s favour with an 11-4 win over Choi, giving India a five-point lead. Lalramsanga and Bisht then increased that lead to seven points, and Unnati hammered Kim 9-4 to kick off the celebrations.
Speaking about the tactical changes in the second set, India’s doubles coach Ivan Sozonov of Russia said the changes were made because he felt Gobburu and Bisht were feeling the pressure of the occasion and needed to change something to catch the Koreans off-guard. “I am very happy with the way Lalramsanga played and also how Rounak and Unnati handled the pressure,” he added.
Badminton Association of India secretary-general Sanjay Mishra was understandably elated, as BAI and the team management had set their eyes on winning a mixed-team medal. “The players had been preparing at this very venue for the last few months, and we were confident that we could win a medal if they played to their potential. I am very happy that everyone stood up when it mattered today, and I am sure they have the ability to beat Indonesia and reach the final,” he added.
