Beating top seed Kiran George in semis one of the best wins of my career: Senior Nationals champion Rithvik Sanjeevi
Twenty-two-year-old Rithvik Sanjeevi S. of Tamil Nadu took a major step in his budding badminton career by clinching his first men’s singles title at the Senior National Championships in Vijayawada on Sunday.
“I’m thrilled. My family, coaches at Hatsun Badminton Centre, Sivakasi, and trainers are all happy. This is my first title in two attempts at the men’s Nationals, after previously winning the sub-junior Under-17 Nationals,” Rithvik, who was unseeded in the Senior Nationals, told Sportstar. He beat Bharat Raghav 21-16, 22-20 in the summit clash.
His triumph—the first by a male player from the State—was highlighted by a semifinal victory over top seed Kiran George of Kerala. “Beating George is one of the best wins of my career,” he said. The spark for his performance came in the team event, where he defeated former World No. 1 K. Srikanth of Andhra Pradesh in the opening round.
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Rithvik’s journey hasn’t been easy. Last year, he suffered a ligament (ankle) tear in Bengaluru while serving for a game point in the semifinals of the All-India ranking against D. S. Saneeth. Physically recovered, he still faced mental challenges and underwent sessions with a sports psychologist, which helped him regain focus.
“Rithvik is well-rounded, agile, and has excellent endurance, but he struggles when there is drift. We are working on it. He also needs to improve his accuracy and composure in crucial moments. He is gradually progressing,” said B. Rajanikanth, chief coach at Hatsun Badminton Centre.
Currently world-ranked 88 in singles, Rithvik plans to compete in more BWF Super 300 or higher tournaments and aims to be in the world’s top 20 by the end of 2026.
His motto remains simple: “Never give up—no matter how many times you lose or win.”
Published on Dec 29, 2025