India’s run at the French Open Super 750 came to an early close on Thursday as teenage shuttler Unnati Hooda bowed out in the round of 16 following a straight-games defeat to China’s World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi. The 18-year-old, who had shown promise with a strong first-round win, struggled to match the top seed’s pace and precision, eventually losing 14–21, 11–21 in a 39-minute encounter.
Hooda, one of India’s brightest young badminton prospects, entered the tournament with growing confidence after her recent performances on the international circuit. She started her campaign impressively by defeating Malaysia’s Letshanaa Karupathevan on Wednesday but found Wang Zhiyi’s superior court control and tactical discipline too much to overcome in the pre-quarterfinal stage.
The Chinese shuttler dictated the rallies from the start, forcing Hooda into defensive positions and capitalising on errors during longer exchanges. Despite showing flashes of her attacking flair, the Indian teenager couldn’t sustain pressure long enough to break Wang’s rhythm. The loss marked Hooda’s second defeat to a top-10 opponent this season, but her progress to the round of 16 remains a positive sign of her continued development at the highest level.
India’s mixed doubles pairing of Rohan Kapoor and Ruthvika Shivani Gadde also bowed out on Thursday, falling 23–21, 8–21, 17–21 to France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue in a spirited contest. After narrowly taking the first game, the Indian duo lost momentum as the French pair found their stride, dominating the second game and holding firm in the decider to advance to the quarterfinals.
Their defeat came on the heels of a disappointing opening round for India’s other contenders. The men’s doubles combination of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, who were among the tournament’s top seeds, suffered a rare early exit on Wednesday, while Lakshya Sen endured a straight-games loss in his first-round encounter.
With all Indian players now out of contention, the nation’s campaign in Paris came to an end earlier than expected. Still, Unnati Hooda’s advancement to the round of 16 and her continued exposure to elite opponents offer a glimpse of India’s promising future in women’s badminton.
The focus for the Indian contingent now shifts to the upcoming Denmark Open and the Asian leg of the tour, where players will look to regain rhythm and bounce back stronger from their French disappointment.
