All posts tagged: Anmol Kharb Badminton

Devika Sihag wins in 3 sets; Anmol Kharb fritters 11-2 lead in decider vs former Olympic champion

Devika Sihag wins in 3 sets; Anmol Kharb fritters 11-2 lead in decider vs former Olympic champion

Published by Webster

Bronze medals at Thomas Cups don’t have aftermaths. But if the last week has proven anything to upcoming shuttlers, it is that only wins will be considered to be making any headway in Indian badminton. From amongst those needing to prove a point at the Thailand Open in Patumwan, Bangkok, Devika Sihag had the most significant win, defeating Natsuki Nidaira 21-19, 13-21, 21-15 to move into the second round. The Indian ranked No 40 defeated the Japanese No 26. Her state-mate from Haryana, Anmol Kharb, had a tougher opponent in former Olympic champion, Chen Yufei. The once Indian prodigy, who won the National Badminton title at 16, and then proceeded to help India claim the women’s Asian team title, put the Chinese former World No 1 under the pump with a spirited display to lead 21-19, 13-21, 11-2. But she was sloppy thereafter, and a tad clueless thereafter not knowing the best tactical path to close out, as she gave away 19 points thereafter and managed to score only 7. It’s where the big names, …

Anmol Kharb, India’s Asian Team Championship golden girl wins first individual international badminton title | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Anmol Kharb, India’s breakout badminton prodigy integral to the Asian Team gold medal at the start of 2024, has had an eventful past eight months. Widely lauded for winning decisive tie-clinchers in February, the 17-year-old collapsed in a tearful heap on the court with a viciously swollen ankle at the Uber Cup in May. However, her senior career is properly back on track come September, as she won her first-ever individual title, the Belgian International Challenge at Leuven on Saturday. “It’s special, this title will remain very close to my heart. But there’s no time or need to celebrate, I play in Poland next week, and have to win so much more,” the Faridabad teenager said after sealing the final, 24-22, 12-21, 21-10, against World No 80 Dane Amalie Schulz. Anmol displayed her trademark bouncing back and finishing qualities, as she took control of closing-out situations at 19-18, at least three times in the tournament. The youngster also played seven matches in three days, starting out as a qualifier, ranked World No 220. It was …

Badminton: How Anmol Kharb, India’s precious new talent, delivered a famous Asian gold unfazed and with a smile on her face | Badminton News

Published by Webster

The ‘koi nahi’ phase of Indian badminton has officially begun. Not only will you hear that northern phrase (which means, ‘it’s ok, play the next’) every time Anmol Kharb steps onto the court from the cheering squad. It will be a heady few months of watching fearless badminton played with uncluttered memories of past wins or losses, and unmuddied vision, just like the last four days in Malaysia. India’s women’s team beat Thailand 3-2 to win their first-ever Asian Team Championship. Playing the decisive fifth rubber, Anmol struck the shuttle to risky corners and riskier lines, as if there are endless tomorrows out there. She’s 17, the tomorrows are indeed many, and she’s justified in playing like that. Coach Gopichand called it ‘innocent play’, and her 21-14, 21-9 win over Thailand’s Pornpicha Choeikeewong was unblemished. Against China, Japan, and Thailand, she pulled India out of a 2-2 deadlock. She left shuttlers tipped by Asia’s far-flung powerhouses as their Gen next, feeling not-so-great about themselves. Choeikeewong came with a reputation of power and pace; Anmol disarmed …

Badminton: As Anmol Kharb shoots into limelight, meet her coach who once lost to Saina Nehwal and has many a story to tell | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Kusumm Singh loved her brief time playing the senior and junior Nationals so much that she culled out snippety stories of merely facing the big names in Indian badminton, from her memory. She would narrate her tryst with her illustrious juniors Saina Nehwal and Ashwini Ponnappa, who went much further in the game than she did. In each tale, told with relish to her badminton trainees, she would caricature herself as the bumbling, clueless opponent, swatted aside in an early round by the grand heroines. In every story, she would lurk courtside, observe their stroke-play once a year at the winter nationals, walk with a bounce when they won titles on TV, and keep falling in love with the sport replaying the few snatches of her match, and how it felt to be in the presence of a shuttle superstar. She never spoke to any of them, too shy because she came from Googariya village in Behror tahsil of Alwar district in Rajasthan – a dot hamlet of non-badminton heritage. And far away from the …

‘Hero-style, hates to lose’: Meet 17-year-old shuttler who clinched a rare win over China | Badminton News

Published by Webster

ANMOL KHARB loves a good one-liner, and doesn’t particularly care about traditional festivals if they come in the way of her badminton practice. On Diwali, she demanded to know from coach Kusum Singh why she couldn’t pack in a morning training session when all the revelry and fireworks happen in the evening. And on Rakshabandhan, she coolly declared, “I’ll protect myself. I don’t need rakhi.” At Shah Alam in Malaysia on Wednesday, though, the 17-year-old playing India’s fifth match and third singles gave her teammates and coaches plenty of reasons to break into noisy celebrations. Tied at 2-2, Anmol kept an icy cool temperament and hit consistent winners to defeat Chinese Wu Luo Yu 22-20, 14-21, 21-18 and nick a rare 3-2 team victory against China at the Badminton Asia Team Championships. China had fielded a second-string side, Luo Yu is ranked only No 149, and India were already assured a quarters spot. P V Sindhu and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand set the tone to defy an always formidable Chinese unit, and Anmol pulled off the …