Rising badminton star Unnati Hooda came back from the brink to clinch the girls’ singles crown, beating Tasnim Mir in a nail-biting final in the Khelo India Youth Games here on Tuesday.
Unnati came back from losing the first game to beat the former World Junior No. 1 Tasnim, winning 9-21, 23-21, 21-12 in 47 enthralling minutes.
Fourteen-year-old Unnati, the youngest Indian girl to make it to the Uber Cup team, looked down and out against former World Junior No. 1 Tasnim Mir after losing the opening game 9-21 and trailing 11-18 in the second.
But she didn’t give up and began frustrating Tasnim with her patient play. Tasnim tried to force the pace and earn quick points, allowing Unnati to come back into the contest.
Unnati saved four match points, including a lucky net-chord that helped her win the second game. The decider was then a lopsided affair, with Tasnim unable to recover her rhythm. Unnati went on to win the match in 47 minutes.
Devika Sihag bagged the bronze medal.
Maharashtra’s Darshan Pujari clinched the badminton boys’ singles gold, beating S. Rithvik Sanjeevi of Tamil Nadu 21-15, 22-20 to lift the title. Saneeth D.S bagged the bronze medal.
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