New Delhi, 31 July (H.S.): Young Indian badminton player Unnati Hooda produced an impressive performance to advance to the women’s singles semifinal of the Taipei Open 2026. In the quarterfinal match played on Friday, Unnati defeated compatriot Devika Sihag 23-21, 21-16.
In the opening game, Unnati made a strong start and quickly built an 11-3 lead. However, Devika staged a remarkable comeback and levelled the score at 21-21. Despite the pressure, Unnati remained composed during the crucial moments and won the next two points consecutively to clinch the first game.
The second game witnessed a close contest between the two players. Unnati held a narrow 11-9 lead at the interval. After the break, she took complete control of the match. As Devika began losing consecutive points, her rhythm was affected, allowing Unnati to seal the game 21-16 and win the match.
The 18-year-old Unnati will now face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Pin-Chian and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the semifinal.
Meanwhile, other Indian players Tanvi Sharma and Kiran George will also compete in their respective singles quarterfinal matches on Friday. Tanvi will take on Thailand’s Supanida Katethong, while Kiran George will face Japan’s Yudai Okimoto.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
