All posts tagged: Nozomi Okuhara

‘Let’s show 30s isn’t slowing us down’

‘Let’s show 30s isn’t slowing us down’

Published by Parlour News

4 min readMar 22, 2026 10:02 PM IST For former world No 1 Nozomi Okuhara, the last few years haven’t been easy. Having to deal with multiple injuries and loss of form, her ranking dipped to No 63 in the world in the middle of 2025. But on Sunday, at the end of a fine week at the Orleans Masters Super 300, she stood at the top of the podium with a beaming smile and a long-awaited trophy. The last time she had won a Super 300 title – the fourth rung on the BWF World Tour – was in India at the backend of 2023 at Syed Modi International in Lucknow. She has had to slug it out on the tour, having to contest in a variety of Super 100 events to try and earn some points to build her ranking up. And this must have felt like vindication for her hard work during tough times. Even more impressively, Okuhara won the Orleans Masters title after beating two teenagers over the weekend. And both …

Isharani Baruah gives it a good go in Game 2 against Pitchamon ‘Pink’ Opatniputh, but Thai teen prevails in Orleans Masters semifinal | Badminton News

Isharani Baruah gives it a good go in Game 2 against Pitchamon ‘Pink’ Opatniputh, but Thai teen prevails in Orleans Masters semifinal | Badminton News

Published by Webster

5 min readNew DelhiMar 22, 2026 12:24 AM IST Isharani Baruah would surely have had more fuel in her tank than Pitchamon ‘Pink’ Opatniputh, with the Indian on court for just 28 minutes in her semifinal win against Malvika Bansod while the Thai 19-year-old had to spend 70 minutes against Japan’s Riko Gunji. But in the end, it was the Indian’s fatigue that cost her as she went down 12-21, 21-23 in a 52-minute contest against the 2023 Junior World Champion to mark the end of Indian contention. Opatniputh showed an early glimpse of her talent with a delightful winner at the net for 2-2 – shaping to play a tight spinning net shot, but held the racket a second longer and pushed it over Isharani into the deep forehand corner. Isharani wasn’t quite going all out attack early on, a heavy brace on her left knee perhaps indicating she wasn’t at her 100%. Opatniputh’s movement, however, was all grace in the early exchanges and she opened up a 8-5 lead with an elegant crosscourt …

Orleans Masters: Tanvi Sharma flaunts her shot selection to saunter to 21-14, 21-14 win over World No 23 Natsuki Nidaira | Badminton News

Orleans Masters: Tanvi Sharma flaunts her shot selection to saunter to 21-14, 21-14 win over World No 23 Natsuki Nidaira | Badminton News

Published by Webster

5 min readNew DelhiMar 20, 2026 11:33 PM IST A service return with deception, going to the backcourt with a last-minute rackethead change while shaping to tap it to the net. A couple of varieties of smashes from the baseline down the middle. A high defensive lift when she found herself in a tight corner. And then, finally, as her opponent tried to inject pace with a flat push, a sensational backhand crosscourt block, attacking the shuttle early, to turn defence into a winning shot. This 17-14 rally in the opening game against Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira was everything that is exciting about Tanvi Sharma’s potential in Indian badminton. From fluid movement on court, to a wide variety of shots and the game awareness to go along with it. The 17-year-old produced another impressive display in a 21-14, 21-14 quarterfinals win at the Orleans Masters Super 300 against a solid player who has been in the top 20 and is 10 years her senior. Nidaira, a player ranked 15 places above the Indian’s 38 at the …

Tanvi stuns Okuhara, Manraj ousts Prannoy in Syed Modi International | Badminton News

Tanvi stuns Okuhara, Manraj ousts Prannoy in Syed Modi International | Badminton News

Published by Webster

World Junior Championships silver medallist Tanvi Sharma and Manraj Singh produced stunning upsets at the Syed Modi International Super 300, knocking out former world champion Nozomi Okuhara and HS Prannoy respectively to sail into the quarterfinals here on Thursday.The 16-year-old Tanvi, who had reached the US Open Super 300 final earlier this year, fought back brilliantly to shock the second seed Okuhara 13-21 21-16 21-19 in a 59-minute thriller. “It has been a great year for me, World Juniors also I won silver. I was on a break due to an ankle injury. I never thought I will beat Okuhara, just wanted to give my best,” Tanvi told reporters. She said her turnaround came after a quick reset mid-match. “I did many unforced errors in the first game. My coach told me to just leave thinking about winning or losing, and play my game. Playing against a former world champion like Okuhara can be tiring, so I was exhausted but I kept myself calm and focussed on rallies. I was not under any pressure. I …

Tanvi Sharma defeats Nozomi Okuhara to reach Syed Modi quarterfinals

Tanvi Sharma defeats Nozomi Okuhara to reach Syed Modi quarterfinals

Published by Webster

Indian badminton witnessed one of its most striking results of the season on Thursday as 16-year-old Tanvi Sharma produced a remarkable comeback to defeat former world champion Nozomi Okuhara and secure a place in the Syed Modi International Super 300 quarterfinals. Tanvi, up against one of the most experienced players on the women’s circuit, lost the opening game 13-21. But the young Indian refused to be overawed. She shifted gears in the second game with sharper angles, quicker transitions, and aggressive net play, turning the contest around to take it 21-16. The decider proved to be the most gripping phase of the match. Okuhara attempted to reassert control. The teenager held her nerve, closing out the final two points to seal a 13-21, 21-16, 21-19 victory that left the home crowd in disbelief. The result marks one of the biggest wins of Tanvi’s emerging career and a rare early-round upset against a former world champion. Tanvi now advances to the quarterfinals, where she will look to continue her breakthrough run. The Syed Modi International, one …

Top Shuttlers ready for Super 300 battle in Lucknow

Top Shuttlers ready for Super 300 battle in Lucknow

Published by Webster

The 2025 edition of the Syed Modi India International Super 300 is set to kick off in Lucknow on Tuesday, bringing together a deep pool of elite shuttlers, rising Indian prospects, and experienced Olympians. With a USD 240,000 prize purse announced by the Uttar Pradesh Badminton Association, fans can expect a competitive week across all five categories. India will also field the largest contingent of 152 players, making this one of the most anticipated home events on the badminton calendar. Big names lead India’s campaign Former champion Kidambi Srikanth and Tokyo Olympian HS Prannoy headline the men’s singles draw as they look to close the season on a strong note. Srikanth, who enjoyed a resurgence with a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters, opens against Meiraba Luwang Maisnam. Prannoy, returning from a side strain that hampered his European swing, faces Kavin Thangam in the first round. Other notable Indians include: Tharun Mannepalli (6th seed), up against Sathish Kumar Karunakaran S Sankar Muthusamy, facing Manraj Singh Priyanshu Rajawat, returning after a knee injury Kiran George, Mithun …

79-shot rally in All England 2025 Final breaks PV Sindhu’s iconic record

79-shot rally in All England 2025 Final breaks PV Sindhu’s iconic record

Published by Webster

Badminton history was rewritten at the YONEX All England Open 2025 as An Se Young and Wang Zhi Yi engaged in an extraordinary 79-shot rally, breaking the previous record for the longest rally in women’s singles. The previous benchmark of 73 shots was set by PV Sindhu and Nozomi Okuhara in their epic 2017 World Championships final. In a breathtaking showdown at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, An Se Young edged out Wang Zhi Yi 13-21, 21-18, 21-18 to claim her second All England title. However, it was their marathon rally that stole the spotlight, surpassing Sindhu and Okuhara’s legendary exchange from eight years ago. That historic 2017 rally had left both players drained, with Okuhara collapsing on the court after the intense exchange. Similarly, in the 2025 final, An and Wang’s endurance, precision, and resilience captivated fans, making it one of the greatest rallies ever witnessed in the sport. Watch the video here: Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective …

Carolina Marin – He Bingjiao’s friendship and fierce battles – it’s how badminton’s golden generation played | Badminton News

Carolina Marin – He Bingjiao’s friendship and fierce battles – it’s how badminton’s golden generation played | Badminton News

Published by Webster

What will be remembered as the defining memory of the last dance of the golden generation of women’s singles badminton in 2024? Surely not the Paris Olympics podium which no badminton fan would have guessed in their wildest guesses – An Se-young, sure, but flanked by He Bingjiao and Gregoria Mariska Tunjung? Not quite at all. Bingjiao, despite her classical style, was never the glossy, glimmering, gold penned in for the generation. With her reserved, unambitious, occasionally chattery demeanour, she was always an elegant matt gold. Though finishing with a silver, she might well go down in another 20 years as the best memory from Paris Games. It was the absentees on that podium that was the slow, then sudden realisation that the OGGG – the original golden generation – was gone. No Carolina Marin, PV Sindhu, Chen Yufei, Tai Tzu-ying, Akane Yamaguchi, Nozomi Okuhara, or Ratchanok Intanon. Bingjiao and Tunjung would be the two most deserving women to medal at the Olympics and big props to elegant badminton that won in Paris. Just that …

The beautiful, indestructible mind of an Olympic contender

Published by Webster

The visible ingredients of Carolina Marin’s success are often unpalatable to many badminton watchers. She screams and shouts. She rushes the serve. She delays the serve. At other times, she saunters off to towel herself dry of the sweat from her considerable hard work. There is a yell-mode that pierces genteel silences of badminton courts. There isn’t an obvious zen-mode, like the Far East Asian players or deep-breath aggression of Saina Nehwal, that will stick to decorum and still win matches – though none has peeked into her brain where stillness and clarity might well be reigning, with her expressive face just a decoy. She doesn’t bow like Intanon Ratchanok or Nozomi Okuhara, or keep a lid on her emotions like Chen Yufei or Tai Tzu Ying. Her attacking stomping doesn’t disarm like Akane Yamaguchi, though both can light up entire arenas with their winning grins once the storm of a match has subsided. And yes, her hairpins get disheveled conveniently when a breather is needed. Also, she keeps beating PV Sindhu after working up …