Seventeen-year-old Tanvi Sharma defeated Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh 21-16, 21-16 to win her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title at the Taipei Open 2026
She became the youngest-ever Taipei Open champion across all categories and only the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal (2008) to win the women’s singles title
Tanvi is now only the fourth Indian women’s singles player to win a Super 300 or higher title, joining Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, and Devika Sihag
Seventeen-year-old Tanvi Sharma announced herself on the global stage with a stunning title-winning run at the Taipei Open, becoming the youngest player across all categories to win the tournament.
The Indian teenager defeated Vietnam’s sixth seed Nguyen Thuy Linh 21-16, 21-16 in the women’s singles final on Sunday to capture her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 crown.
The victory is a landmark moment for Indian badminton. Tanvi became only the second Indian woman to win the Taipei Open women’s singles title after Saina Nehwal, who achieved the feat in 2008.
It also ended a 17-year wait for an Indian champion at the event and marked India’s third overall title in Taipei, following Jwala Gutta and V Diju’s mixed doubles triumph in 2009 during the tournament’s Grand Prix Gold era.
Tanvi dominated the final from the very beginning. She raced to a commanding 10-2 lead in the opening game, using her aggressive intent and sharp court coverage to put Nguyen under immediate pressure.
Although the Vietnamese shuttler briefly fought back to narrow the gap to 10-8, Tanvi remained composed and controlled the pace of the rallies to take the first game 21-16.
The second game presented an early challenge as Nguyen moved ahead 3-0, but Tanvi responded with remarkable maturity. She quickly erased the deficit, took control of the exchanges, and began dictating play with a mix of attacking smashes, precise placements, and superb cross-court angles.
Once she built momentum, she never allowed her opponent back into the contest, eventually stretching her advantage to seven points. The Indian teenager sealed the championship in just 36 minutes, finishing the match with a delicate cross-court drop shot that left Nguyen stranded.
Speaking after the final, Tanvi said she was thrilled to achieve such a significant milestone so early in her career.
“I’m really happy to win this title. I tried to focus on one match at a time and give my best in every round. I was nervous before the final, but I kept telling myself to stay positive, give 100 percent, and stick to my game plan,” she said.
The triumph places Tanvi in an exclusive group of Indian women’s singles players who have won a BWF World Tour Super 300 or higher-level title.
She joins Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, and Devika Sihag in that elite club. At just 17 years of age, she is also the third-youngest player in the world to win a Super 300 event.
