New Delhi [India]: India’s campaign at the Taipei Open 2025 came to an end on a disappointing note as young shuttlers Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda fell short in their respective semi-final matches on Saturday.
In the men’s singles semi-final, 20-year-old Ayush Shetty put up a strong fight against top seed Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei. Despite his efforts, Ayush lost the match in straight games, 21-18, 21-17, in a contest that lasted 42 minutes.
Ayush, currently ranked 44th in the world, held a slender 18-17 lead in the first game. However, Chou, ranked 7th, responded with four consecutive points to claim the opener. The second game followed a similar pattern, with the scores tied at 16-16, before Chou once again pulled away by winning five of the last six points to seal the win and book his place in the final.
Ayush had an impressive run in the tournament, defeating third seed Lee Chia-hao in the opening round and ousting former world number one Kidambi Srikanth in the round of 16. He continued his fine form with a quarter-final victory over seventh seed Brian Yang of Canada.
This performance follows Ayush’s strong showing in March at the Orleans Masters Super 300, where he reached the semi-finals after upsetting former world champion Loh Kean Yew in the round of 32.
In the women’s singles semi-final, 17-year-old Unnati Hooda, ranked 53rd, faced a tough challenge from top seed Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan. Despite leading 18-15 in the first game, Unnati was unable to maintain her momentum, eventually losing the game 21-19.
In the second game, Miyazaki dominated from the start, overpowering the Indian with a commanding performance to close out the match 21-11 and move into the final.
Despite the semi-final exits, both Indian youngsters showcased their potential and resilience against top-tier competition in the BWF World Tour event.