Unnati Hooda Kicks Off Badminton World Championships 2026 Campaign With Hard-Fought Straight Games Victory
India's 18-year-old prodigy Unnati Hooda kicked off her debut BWF World Championships campaign with a hard-fought straight-games victory over Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar in the women's singles Round of 64. Playing at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Arena in New Delhi, Hooda overcame tricky court conditions and a tense opening battle. The first game saw a tight, neck-and-neck contest where Thuzar held a game point before Hooda showed great composure, saving it with a sharp smash and executing key tactical plays to edge it 22-20. Carrying the momentum into the second game, the young Indian player cleaned up her unforced errors, upped her attacking tempo, and comfortably closed out the set 21-16. Winning the match in 40 minutes, Hooda successfully advanced to the Round of 32.
India's Unnati Hooda plays a shot against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar during their women's singles round-of-64 badminton match at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
Unnati Hooda of India plays against Thet Htar Thuzar of Myanmar during the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi, India. | Photo: AP/Manish Swarup
India's Unnati Hooda competes in the round of 64 women’s singles badminton match against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar, unseen, during the BWF World Championships, at Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
Thet Htar Thuzar of Myanmar plays against Unnati Hooda of India during the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi, India. | Photo: AP/Manish Swarup
India's Unnati Hooda plays a shot against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar during their women's singles round-of-64 badminton match at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
New Delhi: India's Unnati Hooda plays a shot against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar during their women's singles round-of-64 badminton match at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
New Delhi: India's Unnati Hooda during her women's singles round-of-64 badminton match against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
India's Unnati Hooda during her women's singles round-of-64 badminton match against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
India's Unnati Hooda plays a shot against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar during their women's singles round-of-64 badminton match at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
India's Unnati Hooda plays a shot against Myanmar's Thet Htar Thuzar during their women's singles round-of-64 badminton match at the BWF World Championships 2026, at the Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi. Hooda won the match 22-20, 21-16 to advance to the next round. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
Unnati Hooda of India plays against Thet Htar Thuzar of Myanmar during the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi, India. | Photo: AP/Manish Swarup
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