Sai Nachiketh Bhatraju creates history as first Indian to win U-19 All England title

Hyderabad’s Sai Nachiketh Bhatraju made history by becoming the first Indian to win the U-19 men's singles title at the 2026 All England Championship. Former champion and mentor Chetan Anand praised Bhatraju's grace, strokeplay, and disciplined approach

Hyderabad: Former national champion B. Chetan Anand has every reason to feel happy. For his trainee, Sai Nachiketh Bhatraju, at the Chetan Anand Badminton Academy in the City, has created history by becoming the first-ever Indian to win the under-19 mens singles title in the prestigious 2026 All England championship in the UK.

The top-seeded Bhatraju has defeated fellow India K. Suhaas 21-8, 21-15 in the final.

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Earlier, in the semifinal, Bhatraju scored a 21-13, 21-14 win against third-seeded M. Manon Kurien and noched up a 21-10, 24-22 win against Sajan Sethuran in the quarterfinal.

“The top seed produced a dominant run to the championship, showcasing exceptional skill, composure, and consistency,” said Chetan Anand.

Chetan, who was himself once ranked World No.10 and renowned for his artistry on the court, said Bhatraju’s win was the end-result of disciplined training, relentless hard work and worldclass coaching.

“This landmark victory is not only a defining milestone in Sai Nachiketh’s career but also a proud moment for Chetan Anand Badminton Academy and Indian badminton,” Chetan said.

Reflecting on Bhatraju’s game, Chetan said unlike others in contemporary sport who rely more on power-game, this young talent has been playing like himself.

“Honestly, Bhatraju reminds me of my own game. Got very good strokes, his half-smash is impressive. He doesn’t have a fancy for those big smashes but yes definitely working more on jump smashes for sure to keep improving into a real champion,” Chetan informed ‘Telangana Today’.

“Well, his soft play which is lacking in many contemporaries is pretty impressive. There is a lot of poise and grace in his game,” Chetan said.
“We have been working on him for the last three years a bit more after he joined us six years back after an early stint with Bhaskar Babu sir,” the former India shuttler said

“With a world ranking of around 40, I am sure Bhatraju will go places with the kind of efforts needed to be in that elite group and given his passion, commitment and sincerity, I am sure he will really make it big as he is just 18,” Chetan conccluded.