India's Sankar Muthusamy clinches silver at BWF World Junior Championships 2022

Indian shuttler Sankar Muthusamy lost the men's singles final at the BWF World Junior Championships to Chinese Taipei's Kuo Kuan Lin on Sunday. Sankar lost the game in straight sets as he missed the opportunity to become only the second Indian badminton player to win the junior world championships. Saina Nehwal remains the only Indian to win the competition, a feat she achieved in 2008. 

Sankar lost the first set against Kuan Lin 21-14 before going down in the second game 22-20. Kuan Lin remained on top for most of the game as he dominated Sankar from the word go, not letting him take even a single-point lead in both sets. Despite Sankar's defeat at the junior championships in Spain, he was able to secure the silver medal for India in the men's singles category. 

This is India's 10th medal in the age-group tournament having already won one gold medal, three silver medals, and five bronze medals in the previous editions of the junior championships. Sankar secured the country's first medal in the competition since Lakshya Sen won a bronze in the men's singles category in 2018.

Sankar at BWF World Junior Championships 2022

Sankar kicked off his campaign in the BWF World Junior Championships 2022 with a bye in the Round of 128. He defeated Singapore’s Remus NG by 21-13, 21-8 in the Round of 64, before winning 21-4, 21-5 against Basilio Porto of Spain. The shuttler maintained his unbeaten run with a 21-10, 21-12 win over Thailand’s Nachakaon Pusri in the Round of 16 to qualify for the quarter-final.

Sankar emerged victorious against Chinese player Hu Zhe An by 21-18, 8-21, 21-16 in the quarter-final to secure his place in the semis. In the semi-final, the teenager defeated Panitchapon Teeraratsakul of Thailand by 21-13, 21-15 to reach the BWF World Junior Championships final. 

Image: BAI