Anmol Kharb makes massive jump in latest women's singles BWF rankings

Published at :February 21, 2024 at 10:03 PM

Modified at :February 22, 2024 at 9:22 PM

Kharb gained 136 places to reach 336 rank

Anmol Kharb, a 17-year-old shuttler from India, has made a remarkable leap in the world rankings after her stellar performance at the Badminton Asia Team Championships. She helped India clinch the title by defeating higher-ranked opponents from China, Japan, and Thailand.

Kharb, who was ranked 472nd in the world before the tournament, stunned everyone by beating Wu LY of China, Natsuki Nidaira of Japan, and P Choeikeewong of Thailand in the group stage. She then played a crucial role in India’s 3-2 victory over Indonesia in the final, winning her singles match against Fitriani Fitriani.

With these wins, Kharb jumped 136 places to reach the 336th spot in the world rankings. This is a huge achievement for the youngster, who was playing only her second senior event. Her first senior appearance was at the Chhattisgarh India International Challenge in 2023, where she lost in the pre-quarterfinals.

Kharb is one of the promising talents of Indian badminton, who has shown her potential at the junior level as well. She won the silver medal at the Asian Junior Championships in 2022 and the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 2023.

While Kharb’s rise is impressive, she still has a long way to go to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024. The Olympic qualification rankings are based on a different system than the world rankings, and only the top 16 players in each category will make the cut.

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In the men’s singles, HS Prannoy is the only Indian player who is currently in the top 16 of the Olympic qualification rankings. Lakshya Sen is in the 17th position, and needs to improve his performance in the upcoming tournaments to secure his berth.

In the women’s singles, PV Sindhu is the frontrunner to represent India at the Olympics, as she is ranked fourth in the qualification rankings. She is also the reigning world champion and the silver medalist at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

In the doubles, India has two pairs who are likely to qualify for the Olympics. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are ranked ninth in the men’s doubles qualification rankings, while Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa are ranked 15th in the women’s doubles qualification rankings. Both pairs have been consistent performers for India in the international circuit.

However, some other pairs are close to the qualification mark and could challenge the existing ones. Teresa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are ranked 18th in the women’s doubles qualification rankings, while MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila are ranked 19th in the men’s doubles qualification rankings. They will have to play their best in the remaining events to cut.

The Indian badminton team has shown its strength and depth at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, and has given a boost to its Olympic aspirations. With players like Anmol Kharb emerging as new stars, the future of Indian badminton looks bright.

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