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 …