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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
Like minded Tanisha-Dhruv reviving mixed doubles magic in India with flair
'We both have a similar mentality because we really want to achieve something, and that's pushing us together.' These were the words of India's latest badminton sensation, Dhruv Kapila, while talking to ESPN, who, along with his partner Tanisha Crasto, has put India back in the spotlight in mixed doubles badminton. The duo won India's only points in the recently concluded Sudirman Cup 2025 when they beat Indonesia's Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja 10–21, 21–18, 21–19 in the second Group D match. While India eventually lost the tie 1–4 and missed a playoff spot, they offered bright hopes for the Indian badminton fraternity, which has been struggling in recent times, especially in a category where India is usually given little to no chance of success. How Tanisha and Dhruv are reshaping the mixed doubles landscape? Indian badminton hasn't often boasted success in mixed doubles, but that may be changing thanks to Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila. Since joining forces in late 2023, they've shown rapid progress, climbing to a career-best ranking of 17 in April 2025. Their games complement each other — Tanisha's court coverage and angles pair seamlessly with Dhruv's strength from the back. They credit their chemistry to a shared ambition and mutual understanding. With backing from the Reliance Foundation, they now have access to high-performance support rarely available to Indian mixed doubles players, giving them a serious edge going forward. Mixed doubles has rarely been India's strong suit in international badminton. Apart from trailblazers like Jwala Gutta and V Diju, who were the first Indian pair to enter the top 10, the country has seen few standout performances. Short-term partnerships have come and gone, and in team events, this category has often been seen as a weak link. However, Tanisha and Dhruv's recent performance in the Sudirman Cup may have started to shift that narrative. Their victory against Indonesia gave India a much-needed win in a crucial tie — something unthinkable in mixed doubles just a year ago. How Tanisha-Dhruv partnership came together Tanisha and Dhruv felt their partnership had real potential from the outset. When they made the finals at the Syed Modi International in November 2024, they sensed they had found the right fit. Dhruv, who had long wanted to focus on mixed doubles, finally had a partner whose style matched his. Tanisha agreed that they clicked instantly and decided to prioritise this format. Their win over a pair who had previously beaten them was particularly sweet, as Tanisha explained — it gave them huge confidence and set the tone for what they could achieve as a team. Who is Dhruv Kapila? A native of Punjab, Dhruv Kapila was introduced to professional badminton early, enrolling at the Gopichand Academy by age 10. He initially made his mark in men's doubles, becoming India's No. 2 with M R Arjun. Injuries to his partner, however, forced a change of course. Dhruv always felt he had the skills for mixed doubles but lacked a suitable partner until Tanisha came along. With her, he's now able to fully utilise his attacking strengths and tactical smarts. He believes their shared goal and hunger to improve are what keep their partnership strong and growing. Who is Tanisha Crasto? Tanisha Crasto's path to Indian badminton started in Dubai, where she was born and raised. At 16, she made the bold move to Hyderabad to chase her dream of playing for India. She's already represented the country in women's doubles at the Olympics, but her return to mixed doubles has been especially impactful. After her previous partner, Ishaan Bhatnagar, was sidelined by injury, Tanisha adapted quickly. She sees her current pairing with Dhruv as a natural fit, crediting their progress to shared goals and strong in-game understanding. Her speed and anticipation make her vital in front-court play. India's ongoing badminton challenges Despite this promising duo, Indian badminton faces a broader downturn. Top singles players have seen a dip in form, and men's doubles has taken a hit due to injuries to stars Satwik and Chirag. Mixed doubles, long considered an afterthought, now offers a potential path forward — if India can develop more strong pairs. Tanisha and Dhruv feel the lack of competitive training partners domestically holds them back. They stress the need for long-term pairings and dedicated coaching to raise the level. For now, they remain one of the few bright spots in an otherwise difficult phase for Indian badminton.
Daily Express
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Express
Malaysia to face hosts China in Sudirman Cup quarterfinal
Malaysia to face hosts China in Sudirman Cup quarterfinal Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's national badminton squad faces its toughest test yet after being drawn against hosts China in today's Sudirman Cup 2025 quarterfinals following the draw ceremony in Xiamen yesterday. The Malaysian team, which finished as Group C runners-up, will challenge the 13-time champions and three-time defending titleholders who topped Group A. Advertisement The other quarter-final ties will see Japan face Taiwan, Denmark take on South Korea, and Thailand go up against Indonesia. A potential semifinal awaits Malaysia against either Japan or Taiwan should they overcome China. SPONSORED CONTENT During the group stage, Malaysia secured two victories - a 5-0 win against France and 4-1 against Australia - before a narrow 2-3 loss to Japan. Malaysia's best Sudirman Cup performance remains three semifinal appearances, namely in 2009, 2021, and 2023.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Malaysia to face hosts China in Sudirman Cup quarterfinal
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's national badminton squad faces its toughest test yet after being drawn against hosts China in today's Sudirman Cup 2025 quarterfinals following the draw ceremony in Xiamen yesterday. The Malaysian team, which finished as Group C runners-up, will challenge the 13-time champions and three-time defending titleholders who topped Group A. The other quarter-final ties will see Japan face Taiwan, Denmark take on South Korea, and Thailand go up against Indonesia. A potential semifinal awaits Malaysia against either Japan or Taiwan should they overcome China. During the group stage, Malaysia secured two victories - a 5-0 win against France and 4-1 against Australia - before a narrow 2-3 loss to Japan. Malaysia's best Sudirman Cup performance remains three semifinal appearances, namely in 2009, 2021, and 2023.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Sudirman Cup 2025: India beat England 3-2 in inconsequential Group D tie
India beat England 3-2 in their final group D match to register a consolation win at the BWF Sudirman Cup Finals here on Thursday. India had suffered its second defeat on the trot after losing 1-4 against Indonesia at the Xiamen Fenghuang Gymnasium to crash out of the race to the quarterfinals. The loss came after a similar 1-4 defeat to Denmark in its opening match of Group D last week. Indonesia and Denmark qualified for the quarterfinals from Group D, as only the top two teams from each of the four groups will make the knockout cut. With nothing to lose, world no. 44 Anupama Upadhyaya hardly broke her sweat to get the better of lower-ranked Miu Lin Ngan 21-12, 21-16 in the women's singles match that lasted a mere 41 minutes. ALSO READ: Sudirman Cup 2025 - India crashes out after loss to Indonesia Satish Kumar Karunakaran then had to toil hard for one hour and 13 minutes to get past Harry Huang 18-21, 22-20, 21-13 to hand India a 2-0 lead. Then, the women's doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Shruti Mishra took just 42 minutes to beat the English pair of Lizzie Tolman and Estelle Van Leeuwen 21-17, 21-17 to secure the contest for India. The Indians, however, lost the last two matches of the tie, but it hardly made any difference as they secured the match after wins in the first three encounters. In the men's doubles match, the Indian pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi lost to Rory Easton and Alex Green 14-21 21-11 13-21 in 52 minutes. In the final dead rubber of the day, the Indian mixed doubles pair of Karunakaran and Crasto lost to Callum Hemming and Leeuwen 21-11, 13-21, 22-24.
India Today
29-04-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Sudirman Cup: PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy flop as India's wait for semis berth continues
PV Sindhu failed to step up for India in Sudirman Cup 2025 (PTI Photo) PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy lost their singles matches against Indonesia India took a rare 1-0 lead, but lost 1-4 to Indonesia India will take on England in their final group-stage tie on Thursday India's wait to reach their maiden semi-finals at the prestigious Sudirman Cup continued, as they were knocked out in the group stage once again. The Indian badminton team fell to a 1-4 defeat against Indonesia in their second Group D match in Xiamen, China, on Tuesday, 29 April. This marked India's second consecutive loss, following a similar 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Denmark in their opening tie on Sunday. With two wins each against India and England, Denmark and Indonesia sealed progression to the semi-finals from Group D. India and England will now meet on Thursday to avoid finishing at the bottom of the group. India's Thomas Cup triumph in 2022 and the silver medal in the men's team event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou had sparked hopes of strong showings in future team events. However, the Sudirman Cup campaign began on the back foot, with two major injury setbacks - the absence of the country's top doubles pairings, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand. With their doubles backbone missing, India needed their singles stars to step up - but PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy faltered in crucial matches against both Denmark and Indonesia. The tie against Indonesia began brightly for India, with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pulling off a stunning come-from-behind win in the mixed doubles. The World No. 17 pair recovered from a 10-21 loss in the opening game to defeat Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja 10-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a marathon match that lasted an hour and 10 minutes. The spirited win gave India a rare early lead in China, but the momentum was short-lived. SINDHU AND PRANNOY LOSE CRUCIAL MATCHES India looked to PV Sindhu to consolidate their advantage, but the World No. 18 was outplayed in straight games by Putri Kusuma Wardani. Sindhu, visibly out of rhythm, struggled with Wardani's pace and confidence. She conceded early leads in both games, and although she mounted a brief fightback in the second, she lacked the firepower to force a decider. HS Prannoy started his men's singles match well, taking the first game 21-19 against World No. 6 Jonatan Christie. However, Prannoy could not sustain the intensity and went down in three games after a grueling one hour and 13 minutes on court. India's hopes then rested on the women's doubles, where Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra were outclassed in straight games by Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Silva Ramadhanti. Things went from bad to worse in the final men's doubles match, as Hariharan Amsakarunan and Rethina Sabapathi also lost in straight games, sealing India's exit from the tournament. India's wait to reach their maiden semi-finals at the prestigious Sudirman Cup continued, as they were knocked out in the group stage once again. The Indian badminton team fell to a 1-4 defeat against Indonesia in their second Group D match in Xiamen, China, on Tuesday, 29 April. This marked India's second consecutive loss, following a similar 1-4 drubbing at the hands of Denmark in their opening tie on Sunday. With two wins each against India and England, Denmark and Indonesia sealed progression to the semi-finals from Group D. India and England will now meet on Thursday to avoid finishing at the bottom of the group. India's Thomas Cup triumph in 2022 and the silver medal in the men's team event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou had sparked hopes of strong showings in future team events. However, the Sudirman Cup campaign began on the back foot, with two major injury setbacks - the absence of the country's top doubles pairings, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand. With their doubles backbone missing, India needed their singles stars to step up - but PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy faltered in crucial matches against both Denmark and Indonesia. The tie against Indonesia began brightly for India, with Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto pulling off a stunning come-from-behind win in the mixed doubles. The World No. 17 pair recovered from a 10-21 loss in the opening game to defeat Rehan Kusharjanto and Gloria Widjaja 10-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a marathon match that lasted an hour and 10 minutes. The spirited win gave India a rare early lead in China, but the momentum was short-lived. SINDHU AND PRANNOY LOSE CRUCIAL MATCHES India looked to PV Sindhu to consolidate their advantage, but the World No. 18 was outplayed in straight games by Putri Kusuma Wardani. Sindhu, visibly out of rhythm, struggled with Wardani's pace and confidence. She conceded early leads in both games, and although she mounted a brief fightback in the second, she lacked the firepower to force a decider. HS Prannoy started his men's singles match well, taking the first game 21-19 against World No. 6 Jonatan Christie. However, Prannoy could not sustain the intensity and went down in three games after a grueling one hour and 13 minutes on court. India's hopes then rested on the women's doubles, where Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra were outclassed in straight games by Lanny Tria Mayasari and Siti Silva Ramadhanti. Things went from bad to worse in the final men's doubles match, as Hariharan Amsakarunan and Rethina Sabapathi also lost in straight games, sealing India's exit from the tournament. 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