In 2025, India’s young sportswomen excelled across various disciplines, showcasing exceptional talent and resilience. Notable performances included Sree Charani’s control, Sheetal Devi’s grit, chess queen Divya Deshmukh’s strategic plays, and emerging stars such as Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma in badminton, Suruchi in shooting, Ankita Bhagat challenging South Korea in archery, Preeti Panwar’s boxing prowess, and Antim Panghal’s dominance in wrestling. Together, they exemplified the spirit of ‘Gen She’, proudly representing India on the global stage.
Unnati Hooda’s defeat of PV Sindhu at the China Open in June and her subsequent rise to World No 23 rank on December 15 marks a significant career milestone for the 18-year-old. Despite being behind Sindhu, who is established as India’s top badminton player, Unnati’s progress holds importance for her confidence, much like a boxer gaining a psychological edge in a title fight.
Unnati executed her plan perfectly against former World No 2 Sindhu at a Super 1000 event, demonstrating audacity and fearless humility. In reflecting on her win, she acknowledged Sindhu as a strong competitor while considering other international challenges ahead.
India is unlikely to replicate its past success in badminton, as seen a decade ago with P.V. Sindhu’s emergence. The outlook for 2026 and young players like Unnati and Tanvi Sharma remains uncertain, and 2025 is not anticipated to be a significant year for breakthroughs in the sport.
Can Unnati and Tanvi transition from Top 25 to Top 10 without the innate strength of Sindhu and without the guidance of coach Pullela Gopichand? This question has been a recurring thought for them throughout the year.
Tanvi, only 17, faced significant challenges in her recent matches, including losses in the finals at the US Open and World Juniors, which may be attributed to her inexperience. Although she demonstrated above-average skills and dedication in training, she lacks the physical and mental strength of her competitors. Coaches are faced with the question of whether she can develop the exceptional skills similar to top players like Tai Tzu-ying and Chen Yufei by 2026, given that she may never match reigning star Sindhu’s power or reach.
Unnati displays an X-factor on her best days, capitalizing on opponents’ weaknesses without showing nerves. However, she is prone to errors, often accumulating mistakes and losing leads. World champion Akane Yamaguchi noted that Unnati can surprise unsuspecting opponents, although her physical conditioning is lacking due to resistance to seeking professional coaching beyond her father’s training.
No coach, except Pullela Gopichand, has produced champions in women’s singles. He emphasizes that without superior fitness, improvements in technique will be unproductive. Success in women’s singles requires not just skill but also exceptional fitness, with the ability to execute powerful smashes and endure long rallies. Both Tanvi and Unnati struggle with stamina, particularly against Top 10 opponents, fading significantly in the latter stages of matches.
Sindhu, despite being a fitness standard at the Glasgow World’s finals, finished with silver. Injuries are a significant concern for players, as evidenced by the intense strength and conditioning drills undertaken by competitors from China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The future of players Tanvi and Unnati will depend on their physical progression, with the possibility of one competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Unnati’s ambition highlights the need to surpass not just Sindhu, but all top players, acknowledging the challenge ahead.
