'When I played against Sindhu didi in China, I am happy I managed to play better than I did last time.'
Unnati Hooda produced a major upset at the China Open, upsetting two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu at the China Open last month.
The 17 year old registered a stunning 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 victory in the pre-quarterfinals, marking the biggest victory of her career so far.
The teenager from Rohtak is being hailed as the next big star of Indian badminton following her impressive performances at the senior level.
She created history aged 14 when she bagged her first BWF title by winning the Odisha Open Super 100 tournament in 2022 -- the youngest Indian badminton player to win a Super 100 BWF World Tour title.
She also showed her mettle against World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi by winning a game against the Chinese ace before going down in a thrilling encounter at the Singapore Open in May.
Fresh from her victory against Sindhu, Unnati now aims to emulate another Indian badminton great at the BWF World Junior Championships 2025 in Guwahati in October. She will look to match India's first Olympic badminton medallist Saina Nehwal -- the only Indian to have won the World Juniors title, at Pune in 2008.
Hailing from a family of academics, Unnati took up the sport courtesy her father Upakar, who sacrificed his teaching career, to pursue his daughter's badminton dreams. He also doubles as her coach.
"My father saw the potential in my game, so he quit his job and after that we pursued the game seriously and now he only trains me," Unnati tells Rediff's Harish Kotian.
How important is this World Junior Championship for you?
It is the biggest platform for junior players. A lot of top junior players from around the world take part in the tournament and if you win the tournament, it will give you a lot of confidence.
If you don't win the title, you play a lot of tough matches against the top junior players so you will get a lot of exposure at the top level and get to know more about your game, your strengths and weaknesses, where you need to improve.
I will try my best to win the World Junior title. Right now I am looking too far ahead, I will take it match by match.
You had played in the senior circuit and have achieved some good results recently including quarter-finals at the China Open and semi-finals of the Taipei Open. Does that give you confidence ahead of the World Juniors?
It does give me confidence but playing in the senior and junior circuit is totally different. But me, Tanvi (Sharma) and Rakshita (Sree Santosh Ramraj), we have all done at the senior level and we have got good exposure.
We have performed in the senior circuit, so that has given us confidence of doing well at the World Juniors.
But it depends on the day too in badminton, but we all will strive to give your best and produce good results for the country.
Adding to your confidence will be that stunning victory against Sindhu at the China Open. Was it the best moment of your career so far considering she is one of your idols?
Playing against a great player like Sindhu didi is always a challenge.
I have played Sindhu didi twice -- first time at the Syed Modi International last year and then at the China Open.
The rallies were long and gruelling but I managed to stay focussed.
I stayed composed under pressure and didn't let it affect me. I was able to control the drift in that match.
It was a good match, I gave it my all to win. It was a great test for me.
You lost to Sindhu in the Syed Modi semi-finals last year. You have said that defeat was a learning experience for you.
Looking back at that match, would you say that was the turning point of your career?
Actually, I would say not only against Sindhu didi but whenever I have played against any top player, whether I have won or lost, I have learnt so much from each match since I started my international career. This is just the beginning.
When I played against Sindhu didi this time in China, I am happy that I managed to play better than I did last time.
That is what I was thinking when I went into the match against Sindhu didi that I have to do better than last time and that's what I was able to do.
Did you get nervous ahead of the match against Sindhu because you were playing against one of the greats, who has won all possible titles in the sport?
I have played against (World No. 1) An Se-young, Wang Zhi Yi, Pornpawee Chochuwong and Sindhu didi. I have played against these big names so now I don't get overawed.
Mentally, we have to think positively because we have also practiced and we are here to compete.
There is no question of taking pressure, whoever you come up against, because for me it is all about giving my best in every match.
You spent a lot of time with Sindhu during the Uber Cup. Did you get a chance to speak to her about your game?
We were in the same team but there were too many matches. We did go for dinner together and we spoke a bit but nothing like detailed.
I watched her playing live, it was my first time playing internationally so it was a good learning experience because I got to watch so many top players.
You came up with a superb performance against World No. 2 Wang Zhi Yi at the Singapore Open in May. You made a smashing start by winning the first game before the Chinese player bounced back to emerge victorious.
This is your first proper season on the BWF World Tour in the senior circuit yet you have already made people take notice with some fantastic performances.
It was a good match but I feel I could have done better. In the third game, I was unable to control the drift so it resulted in a lot of unforced errors at the start.
Wang Zhi Yi maintained the lead and it was difficult to cover up later in the second part of the decider. But it gave me a lot of confidence despite the defeat.
You have never trained under renowned coaches like Pullela Gopichand, Vimal Kumar or Prakash Padukone.
Once there was a camp for national players at the Pullela Gopichand Academy (in Hyderabad). I had gone there but for a short while because I have always been training in Rohtak, first under Pravesh sir and now with my father.
Interestingly, your father is the only coach you are training under, despite him not coming from a badminton background.
My father is my only coach. I train under him at the Hooda Badminton Academy in Rohtak.
Your family has been into academics and not into sports, so how did you get into badminton?
Most of my family has been into academics, but my father since he was a child he loved to play badminton. He took up academics professionally but when I was small I played badminton with my father for recreation purposes not seriously.
Then my father saw the potential in my game, so he quit his job and after that we pursued the game seriously and now he only trains me.
Now that you are consistently playing in international tournaments and making a mark on the world stage, are you looking at getting a foreign coach to take your game to the next level?
Right now, I am not thinking about that. We have our own academy in Rohtak, where in the past we had invited a Malaysian coach more as a sparring partner.
I will next be playing the World Juniors and after that the Hong Kong so there is no big window for practice.
When was the point when your family felt that you should take up badminton seriously?
I won my first Junior Badminton Championship Nationals, I think I was around nine then. Then you had the Under-13 championships in Udupi and in Hyderabad, I won them both the national ranking tournaments.
In the same year, I won the Under-13 main National tournament so that was the point when we decided that I would take up the sport.
At only 14, you created history when you clinched your first BWF title -- the Odisha Open in 2022 -- to become the youngest Indian to win a BWF Super 100 tournament.
I was very happy. I was quite excited because I was playing a BWF Super 100 tournament for the first time in my career. That time you had the COVID-19 restrictions also, but I managed to overcome all difficulties and managed to win the tournament.
I was quite delighted at winning my first Super 100 event.
Along with pursuing badminton, you have continued your academics, securing 93 percent in your 12th standard examinations? How did you find time to study?
Once should study even if we play any sport because right from the start I have tried to balance sport and studies. Most of my family members are into academics so from a young age I have always enjoyed my studies and I also love badminton but it is difficult to manage both.
I am happy that I got good marks in my 12th standard examinations. Right now I am pursuing BSC Sports Science.
In my 10th and 12th standard my exams didn't clash with my tournaments. While studying in the 12th standard there was the Swiss Open which I couldn't play earlier this year because I had my exams.
I remember during the Singapore International Challenge (in February) my first exam was on the 16th so I wrote it in the morning and then I took a flight the same evening, so it was all rushed. During some tournaments, I have even studied whenever I managed to get free time.
I have a lot of on-court sessions in the mornings then gym sessions and track sessions like running, strengthening and endurance every alternate day because in badminton the physical aspect is very important.
The Reliance Foundation has provided me good support, they have helped me with strength and conditioning coaches, physios, nutritionists and mental psychologists as well.
How difficult is it for a badminton player to adjust to different tournaments because you are constantly travelling and playing a new tournament every month in a different country.
Does playing regularly help maintain form and rankings in badminton?
For a young player like me, when you play more tournaments, you get more exposure and you get to learn new things. But at the same time you have to maintain balance between the practice time and the tournament schedule, and importantly you have to pick the right tournaments.
If you don't get time to practice, then you won't get good results so you have to choose the tournaments wisely.
At the same time, the more tournaments you play, the more experience you get and also it boosts your confidence.
