Sankar Muthusamy packs off Thai opponent Panitchapon Teeraratsakul to reach BWF World Junior Championships final

The ploy eventually paid off as the Indian badminton player settled the 40-minute affair in straight games.

Sankar Muthusamy became only the second boys singles player from India to reach the BWF World Junior Championships final when he defeated Thailand's Panitchapon Teeraratsakul in straight games at Santander, Spain, on Saturday. The former junior world No. 1 was in absolute control throughout the 40-minute clash, winning 21-13, 21-15. The ploy eventually paid off as the Indian badminton player settled the 40-minute affair in straight games.

Sankar, who had won a marathon quarterfinal against China Hu Zhe An showed no signs of any fatigue as he controlled the rallies brilliantly against his giant-killing Thai opponent. On Thursday, S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian had already confirmed India's 10th medal at the age-group tournament. Heading into the 2022 edition, India had won one gold, three silvers and five bronze medals, all in singles, in the tournament.

He will now aim to become only the second Indian after 2008 winner Saina Nehwal to be crowned world junior champion. In the summit clash, he will face the winner of the other semifinal between Kuo Kuan Lin of Chinese Taipei and South Korea's Byung Jae Kim. Siril Verma came close to claiming that title in 2015 but lost the final against Chinese Taipei's Chia Hung Lu.

Aparna Popat (1996) and Saina Nehwal (2006, 2008) were the other Indians to reach the world junior finals in the past. Indian badminton player S Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian became the first player since 2016 to make the final at the junior meet. Saina Nehwal is India's sole junior world champion. (ANI)

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