The Uber Cup, a prestigious badminton tournament, witnessed a heart-wrenching scene on April 30, 2024. The Indian women’s team, despite their valiant efforts, fell to a 5-0 loss against the hosts, China. The defeat was not just a blow to the team’s morale but also marked a painful moment for one of India’s promising players, Anmol Kharb.
The young Indian women’s team, already under-strength, faced the formidable Chinese side in their final group A fixture. The absence of double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who chose not to participate in the tournament, was deeply felt. The inexperienced Indian team struggled to win a single game against the 15-time champions.
Reality check for India in the Uber Cup
The match began with world no.2 Chen Yu Fei easily defeated 83rd-ranked Isharani Baruah. Despite her disappointment, Baruah acknowledged the high pace and superior variations of her opponent. The first doubles pairing of Priya Konjegbam and Shruti Mishra also lost in straight games to Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan.
The situation worsened when 17-year-old Anmol Kharb, playing against Han Yue, twisted her ankle while trying to defend a point. Despite receiving medical attention, the pain persisted, and the swollen ankle forced her to retire from the match. This unfortunate incident gave China a 3-0 lead.
Tears rolled down Kharb’s eyes as she was helped off the court. The sight of the promising player in agonising pain added to India’s woes. The remaining matches saw the Chinese team continue their dominance, with Liu Shen Shu and Tan Ning defeating Simran Singh and Ritika Thaker, and Wang Zhi Yi beating Tanvi Sharma.
Uber Cup: India lose to China 0-5 in their final Group stage clash
PS: All Chinese players/pairs are Top 10 in World rankings; India have fielded a depleted squad (No Sindhu, Treesa/Gayatri, Ashwini/Tanisha)
India have qualified for QF at 2nd place from Group A #UberCup pic.twitter.com/foHlv3965S
— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) April 30, 2024
Despite the defeat, the Indian team had already qualified for the quarterfinals with wins against Canada and Singapore. They finished second in the group stage behind China. The loss, however, was a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.
The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, but it also served as a learning experience for the young Indian team. The players, despite the loss, gained invaluable exposure and experience.
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