3 min readMumbaiAug 1, 2026 10:53 AM ISTFILE - Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma in action. (Express Photo | Amit Mehra)India’s teen badminton ace Tanvi Sharma unleashed a torrent of varied strokes to defeat World No 24 Huang Yu-Hsun 21-17, 21-11 and make the Super 300 Taipei Open finals at the Arena.A serve into the net after she comfortably led 17-11 was the only blip phase in an otherwise dominant show against an opponent who couldn’t handle the Indian’s stinging attack.Tanvi has crosscourt whiplash smashes on both flanks and it was a simple matter of getting the local Taiwanese rooted on the other side. She can manoeuvre opponents with her forecourt drops though it was her deception on pushes to the back line that dealt the most damage.Error-prone on bad days, Tanvi would do well to not change her game that skirts the lines when she aims pinpoint shuttle deliveries to the corners. On Saturday, she was nailing most of those back court pings. The most exquisite was the a back-of-the-wrist push that she pulled back at the last moment to send it straight and land it just close to the line, which woth full force would’ve gone long. It oozed skill that goes beyond the power-attack.Coach Park Tae Sang had his quibbles, before shetook a 11-9 lead in the second and corrected ger first set dawdle by taking 10 of the next 12 points.With Tanvi, the strokes are placed as full-stops, not commas, so the rallies tend to stay short. Huang, 22, just did not possess the breadth of defense to prolong the rallies. Her flank defense was poor and the talented Tanvi’s smashes tend to travel with a zip.Perhaps Huang’s only chance was in drawing the Indian ranked 34, forward. There is a massive striding caginess in Tanvi’s lunge. A dangerous movement fault that can cause injury if not addressed. She over-estimates the length of her long stride at the net, lands on the out-sole and puts her ankle at risk. At least 4 times in the match, the lunge drew gasps. Her recovery from the lunge for the next return also needs work.Story continues below this adBut making her first final after last year’s US Open, you couldn’t fault her much on how prolific her winners-to-errors ratio is.The falling-short lunge combined with her serving into the net and a line error would’ve posed trouble if Huang had pounced on her own 15-17 recovery from 11-17 down. But as is her wont, Tanvi simply sent down a cross smash to pull away again and take the opener. If Tanvi had been nervous in finishing – Huang was even more in grabbing the lead, and served into the net herself.Unnati Hooda and Tanvi will need to win a title to match compatriot Devika Sihag in 2026. Unnati plays the wily Thuy Linh Nguyen, ranked 10 places above her at 18, in the second semis.© The Indian Express Pvt LtdShivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement