A fortnight that taught Tanvi Sharma more than a medal could

Be sharper. Be stronger. Be patient.

That’s the mantra going forward for Tanvi Sharma, the first Indian female medallist at the BWF World Junior Championships since Saina Nehwal’s gold in Pune in 2008, a month before Tanvi was born.

On Sunday, in front of a near-capacity crowd at the National Centre of Excellence (NCE) in Guwahati, Tanvi finished with a silver after being outplayed by Thailand’s Anyapat Phichitpreechasak in the final.

It capped off a two-week campaign that began with the mixed team event and continued into the individual leg. Tanvi was also part of the Indian squad that clinched a historic team bronze, even though she wasn’t fielded in the knockout rounds.

For the 16-year-old from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, the fortnight was as much about growth as medals. Already a Super 300 finalist at the U.S. Open, a run that even drew praise from the legendary Chen Long, Tanvi came away from Guwahati with a few crucial lessons for the senior circuit ahead.

“To reach the next level, I have to develop patience to play rallies, improve endurance and better my net game. I have to work on power and strength,” she said, the silver medal still hanging around her neck. For someone currently reading Atomic Habits by James Clear on her elder sister’s recommendation, this resolve seems well within reach.

When it came to the final against Phichitpreechasak, Tanvi felt the Thai had transformed since their last meeting. Two years ago, at the Asian Junior Championships, she had beaten her comfortably. Even this July, at the same event where Tanvi won bronze, she had found the Thai “normal.”

But at the NCE, her home base for the past year, the 17-year-old Phichitpreechasak was anything but. She anticipated Tanvi’s deception, neutralised her angles and kept her off balance throughout.

“She was very good. She read my game a lot. Wo khadi hoke sab deceptive shots le rahi thi (she stood her ground and read all my deceptive shots). Her drops and half smashes were very sharp,” said Tanvi.

While she fell short at the final hurdle, the overall experience will stand her in good stead. Heading into the tournament, Tanvi had been down with a high fever and didn’t feel close to her best.

“When the team event ended, the coach said that you should give your best in individuals because you can get a medal. But I knew where my body stood. Nevertheless, I thought, ‘Okay, I will give my best. Baaki jo hoga bhagwaan ke upar hai (the rest is up to God),’” she said.

After three straightforward wins, Tanvi faced Japan’s left-hander Saki Matsumoto in the quarterfinals, a test that pushed her to the brink. “I was down 5-8 in the third game. So, the coach told me to give my everything. What is the worst that can happen? It’s your last World Juniors. Because of that match, I played the finals,” recalled Tanvi.

That performance was followed by her best showing of the tournament, a 15-11, 15-9 win over China’s Liu Si Ya, the Asian Juniors silver medallist. Everything seemed to click.

But the nerves crept in early in the final. “I wanted to play with full enthusiasm. But wo match mein thoda nervousness dikh gaya tha (I was a little nervous in that match). It came in the beginning itself, after three or four points,” admitted Tanvi.

“I feel happy and sad. If I had played well and lost in the finals, I wouldn’t be sad. But after making so many mistakes, it hurts.”

For now, she can afford a short break, maybe unwind with her favourite cartoon Doraemon or a few comedy shows. Soon enough, though, training will resume. The next stop: the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain later this month.

Published on Oct 20, 2025