Teen Sensation Unnati Hooda’s Dream Run Ends in Hylo Open Semifinals

India’s promising badminton star Unnati Hooda bowed out of the Hylo Open 2025 after falling to Indonesia’s top-seeded Putri Kusuma Wardani in the women’s singles semifinals on Saturday in Germany. The 18-year-old conceded a 7-21, 13-21 defeat in a match that lasted just 35 minutes, marking the end of India’s campaign in the tournament.

Wardani, the bronze medallist at this year’s World Championships, lived up to her billing as the top seed, dominating right from the first rally. She opened the match with a flurry of three consecutive points and established an 11-4 lead by the mid-game interval. Her superior control, sharp placement, and net precision kept Unnati on the defensive, and the Indonesian wrapped up the first game in just 15 minutes.

The second game followed a similar script, with Wardani racing to another 11-4 lead at the break. Despite Unnati’s spirited attempt to fight back — pushing her opponent into longer rallies and finding better rhythm with her smashes — the experienced 23-year-old Indonesian maintained her composure. Wardani’s clever changes in pace and angles sealed the match, securing her spot in the final while ending Unnati’s valiant run.

Though the defeat was a setback, the tournament proved to be a significant milestone in Unnati’s young career. Reaching her first-ever semifinal at a BWF Super 500 event underscored her steady rise in the senior circuit. Her confident play throughout the tournament, including notable wins in earlier rounds, has been a reflection of her growing maturity and technical refinement.

Unnati’s 2025 season has already been one to remember. At the Super 1000 China Open earlier this year, she pulled off remarkable victories over Scotland’s Kirsty Gilmour and India’s two-time Olympic medallist P. V. Sindhu before bowing out in the quarterfinals to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. The Hylo Open performance adds another layer to her breakout year.

Adding to her list of achievements, Unnati was also part of the Indian squad that clinched a historic bronze medal at the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships in Guwahati earlier this month — India’s first-ever medal in that competition. Though she exited the singles event there in the quarterfinals, her contributions to the team’s success further cemented her reputation as one of India’s brightest emerging talents.

Despite falling short in Germany, Unnati Hooda’s fearless performances have signaled the arrival of a new generation ready to take Indian badminton forward.