Dakar, 06 November (H.S.): India’s Tanvi Patri had to settle for the silver medal in the women’s singles badminton final at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games after losing to China’s reigning world junior champion Zhang Yi Xin on Thursday. Despite a spirited performance and a remarkable fightback in the deciding game, the Indian shuttler narrowly missed out on the gold medal.

Tanvi took some time to find her rhythm in the opening game but soon turned the contest around with an impressive run of seven consecutive points, transforming a 3-5 deficit into a 10-5 lead. Her effective punch clears and excellent control at the net kept Zhang under pressure. The Indian eventually wrapped up the opening game 21-15 in 25 minutes.

Tanvi began the second game strongly, racing to a 4-0 lead. However, the air drift from behind her side of the court affected her control over the clear shots. Zhang gradually gained the upper hand after the interval and claimed the second game 21-13, forcing the match into a decider.

In the deciding game, Zhang took an early lead with her sharp cross-court drop shots, extending her advantage to 19-10. Tanvi refused to give up and fought her way back into the contest, reducing the deficit to 19-15. However, a cross-court smash from the Indian that went wide handed Zhang five match points.

Displaying remarkable determination, Tanvi saved all five match points and subsequently created three opportunities to clinch the gold medal. However, Zhang's greater experience proved decisive in the closing stages, as she held her nerve to win the deciding game 26-24 and secure the title.

With this silver medal, Tanvi became the first Indian woman to win a badminton medal at the Youth Olympic Games, marking a historic milestone for the country's badminton. She had secured her place in the final by defeating Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe 21-14, 11-21, 21-19 in a hard-fought semifinal. Watanabe went on to claim the bronze medal.

Tanvi's achievement adds to India's record of badminton medals at the Youth Olympic Games. Before her, H.S. Prannoy won a medal in the men's singles event in 2010, followed by Lakshya Sen in 2018.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar