14-year-old Rohtak shuttler is World No 217
Gaurav Kanthwal
Chandigarh, February 1
Unnati Hooda, a 14-year-old Rohtak shuttler, has been placed 217th in the latest BWF women’s singles rankings released on Tuesday.
After her recent Odisha Open title win, a Super 100 event, the Class IX student of DGV Senior Secondary School, Rohtak, has leapt 201 places.
Her doubles ranking has leapt from 269 to 185.
Unnati said, “I am very happy with my performance. I hope to be around 100th-ranked player by the end of this year. It has been hectic season for me till now. I will focus on training for next two months. I hope to compete in March now, my coach Parvesh Kumar at the Sir Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak will take a decision.”
Coach Parvesh Kumar said Unnati’s father Upkar Hooda has shaped her career from the beginning. He is himself a former shuttler, and many a times, helped her in training also. The Hoodas hail from Chamaria village, eight kilometers from Rohtak, but now live in Bharat Colony in the city.
The youngest Indian to win a Super 100 tournament beat Smit Toshniwal21-18 21-11 in the final of the $75,000OdishaOpen in Cuttack.
Unnati beat Indian Open finalist Malvika Bansod (World No. 61) 24-22 24-22 in her semifinal clash.
Unnati recently won theInfosys Foundation India International Challenge in Bengaluru but Odisha Open was her first international tournament at this level.
The shuttler’s fledgling career, just seven years in the making, has shades of Olympics medallist Saina Nehwal but she says she likes PV Sindhu more. Two years ago, she was crowned the U-13 national champion in Patna in 2019.
