BWF World Junior Championships: UAE’s Riyan Malhan moves past challenges to put in impressive showing

Riyan Malhan fought as well as he could but the top-seeded Indonesian Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah was far superior and finished with a routine 15-9, 15-6 win in the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Junior Championships in Guwahati on Thursday.

Fifteen-year-old Malhan was the youngest amongst the 16 boys fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals. Ubaidillah, his opponent, was 18 and has been ranked as high as 45 in the senior rankings.

For the young shuttler, who created history as the first-ever UAE player to win a medal – a bronze – at the Badminton Asia U17 & U15 Junior Championships last year, going this far at his debut Junior World Championships, especially without his coach, was likely a positive experience on the whole.

Michael Noerbaek, UAE Badminton High-Performance Director and National Coach, couldn’t join Malhan due to visa issues.

However, the Dane was impressed with his student’s performance, especially against India’s H. Lalthazuala in the round of 32 where he won 15-13, 15-6. “The match (against Lalthazuala) was truly one of Riyan’s standout performances. At only 15 years old, he demonstrated remarkable potential that is hard to overlook. We have been diligently working on various elements of his tactical and mental game,” Noerbaek told  Sportstar via  WhatsApp.

Indian roots and academic background

Vipul, Malhan’s father, is from Delhi. He was a state-level shuttler before shifting his focus to academics. He was a student at St Stephen’s College where his father was the head of the economics department.

Vasudha, Malhan’s mother, was a teacher in Dubai.

And Devika, his elder sister, is about to start college. With such an academics-dominated family background, it would not have been a surprise if Malhan too had been encouraged to develop similar interests from the beginning. But perhaps, he was destined to fulfill his father’s dreams.

“I started badminton because of my father. He couldn’t play because his father didn’t allow him at that time as it was more about the studies. I used to go with him to see him play. He introduced me to all sports and I picked up badminton. I don’t know why but it’s because of him,” he said.

His family is not the only connection he has with India. While he was born in Dubai, he did play on the Indian domestic circuit for Delhi in the Under-13 and Under-15 age groups.

However, it was eventually decided that he would play for UAE.

“Badminton in UAE has picked up a lot. It’s a really growing sport at the moment and the UAE federation has been kind enough and great to support me in terms of my travel and hotel accommodation. Recently, they have also started a national camp in Dubai,” said Malhan.

Training with Danish stars

Having someone like Noerbaek running the programme in the UAE does have its advantages as Malhan and other players have had the opportunity to train with Danish stars such as current World No. 2 Anders Antonsen.

“Collaborating with talented players and coaches from Denmark, including the remarkable Anders Antonsen, presents an incredible opportunity for Riyan. Practicing alongside someone of Anders’ caliber is invaluable, and Riyan thrives on the insights he gains from such an experienced top player.

His ability to learn quickly is one of his standout qualities, but I recognise that reaching the number one position demands patience and dedication. I encourage Riyan to absorb the wisdom from each of his mentors because expertise varies across different areas,” said Noerbaek.

Published on Oct 16, 2025