Tanvi vast potential was on evidence at the U.S. Open as she became the youngest Indian to reach the final of a BWF World Tour tournament.
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More than a glimpse of shuttler Tanvi Sharma’s vast potential was on evidence over the past few days as the 16-year-old became the youngest Indian to reach the final of a BWF World Tour tournament. Tanvi’s exploits came at the Yonex US Open, a Super 300 event at Council Bluffs, Iowa, that drew to a close on Sunday.
The unseeded youngster’s march to the final comprised a series of straight-game wins, including a 21-19, 21-9 triumph over World No. 23 Nguyen Thuy Linh in the very first round. On Sunday night, she lost 11-21, 21-16, 10-21 to American Beiwen Zhang in the summit clash, but her coach Park Tae-sang has seen enough to proclaim that her attacking style resembles that of two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu. The South Korean, of course, coached the former world champion from 2019 to 2023.
It is no surprise that the teenager from Punjab’s Hoshiarpur looks up to the 29-year-old. “Yes, I feel good that there are comparisons. I have to keep doing well to live up to that,” Tanvi told The Hindu on Monday after her runner-up finish. “I like Sindhu’s aggression on court. In this tournament, I played with a lot of aggression. I have developed my half-smashes by seeing her play.”
As enthused as Park is with Tanvi’s recent results, he knows that his ward at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati is far from the finished product. “Tanvi needs to improve her endurance and stamina. Against opponents older than her, she looked very tired. She needs more physical training,” he said.
What are Tanvi’s targets for this year? “I want to get into the top-30 in seniors. There is also the World Junior Championships in India this year. That is the main target,” stated the World No. 66.
Published – June 30, 2025 08:54 pm IST
