Mumbai’s Taarini Suri produced an exceptional performance to clinch a double crown in the KOTAK India Junior (U-19) International Series 2024 organised by the Badminton Association of India. The 17-year-old shuttler won the Girls’ Doubles, and Mixed Doubles titles at the Gopichand Badminton Academy courts in Hyderabad on Sunday. 

Taarini, who trains under Hufrish Nariman at CCI, Mumbai teamed up with Nashik-based  Shravani Walekar to beat the Indonesian combination of Keyla Putri and Micha Wardoyo 21-10, 21-15 in the Women’s  Doubles final.

The unseeded Maharashtra duo of Taarini and Shravani who have been playing together since their U-13 days decision to only participate in Doubles event paid dividends as they had also upset top seeds Kodchaporn Chaichana and Pannawee Polyiam of Thailand in the semi-finals earlier .

Later, the fourth seeded duo of Taarini and Bhavya Chhabra from Guwahati, Assam upset the top seeds Attawut Sreepeaw and Pannawee Polyiam of Thailand in three hard fought game 21-13, 19-21, 21-14 to clinch the Mixed Doubles final.

Following their success Taarni along with Shravani and Bhavya have also been selected to the Indian team, which will participate in the World Junior Championship in Nanchang, China from 30th Sep. to 13th October later this year.

Results (All Finals):

U-19 Men’s Singles: Rounak Chouhan (IND) beat  Laksh Chengappa Machangada Aiyappa (IND) 25-23, 16-21, 22-20.  

U-19 Women’s Singles: Thalita Ramadhani Wiryawan (INA) beat Navya Kanderi (1) (IND) 21-14, 21-19.  

U-19Men’s Doubles: Huang Hong-Yu/Yan Bin Huang (TPE) beat Hung Ming Chen/Cheng Han Tsai (TPE) 21-15, 13-21, 21-18

U-19Women’s Doubles: Taarini Suri/Shravani Walekar (IND) beat Keyla Annisa Putri/Micha Leona Luthfia Wardoyo (INA) 21-10, 21-15.

U-19 Mixed Doubles: Bhavya Chhabra/Taarini Suri (IND) beat Attawut Sreepeaw/Pannawee Polyiam (4) (THA) 21-13, 19-21, 21-14.

Photo Above: India’s unseeded duo of Taarini Suri and Shravani Walekar from Maharashtra pose with their Girls Doubles Gold medal. Taarini later combined well with Bhavya Chhabra (not on photo) to win the Mixed Doubles event too