Meet Unnati Hooda, 17-year-old PV Sindhu fan who stunned her idol to enter China Open quarter-finals

In the star-studded galaxy of Indian badminton, a new name is shining with dazzling intensity. For a decade, fans have celebrated Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, and Kidambi Srikanth, and more recently, the powerhouse duo of Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and the classy Lakshya Sen. Now, all eyes are on Unnati Hooda, a 17-year-old phenom with the potential to join that illustrious list.

Her recent, stunning victory over her idol, PV Sindhu, in the pre-quarterfinals of the China Open 2025 was a watershed moment. Just a year after being outclassed by Sindhu 21-12, 21-9 at the Syed Modi International, Unnati showed astonishing growth, clinching a pulsating 21-16, 19-21, 21-13 win. It was a victory that announced her arrival.

But this "overnight success" was years in the making. Unnati's journey began in Chamaria village, Haryana, far from the traditional badminton hubs. Born on September 20, 2007, she was introduced to the sport by her father, Upakar, at the Chhotu Ram Stadium in Rohtak—a venue famous for producing wrestlers like Sakshi Malik. “Most members of our family are educationists. Hence, we wanted Unnati to try something new,” Upakar told The Indian Express.

That new path quickly looked promising. “She won an U-11 junior event and then kept winning district and state meets. It was then that I realised that she can take up the sport seriously,” her father told the Hindustan Times. Upakar soon quit his job to support his daughter's burgeoning career, a gamble that paid off as she won bronze at the U-13 nationals and became the U-15 national champion.

Her coach, Parvesh Kumar, saw the raw potential early on. “When Unnati came to train under me, she was less than three feet in height,” he told The Indian Express. “But she displayed good reach and her main strength was her focus level... she is always eager to learn and train more. On a normal training day, we make her practice about 1,600 drop shots.”

This relentless work ethic culminated in her historic triumph at the Odisha Open in January 2022. At just 14, she became the youngest Indian to win a Super 100 event, a victory that earned her a spot on India's Uber Cup squad alongside the very player she looked up to most. “I am a big fan of PV Sindhu’s smashes. Growing up, I have always aspired to play like her,” Unnati told The Tribune before the tournament.

Though she didn't play a match, the experience was transformative. “To see players like double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu inspired me a lot. The way HS Prannoy sir won the fifth match in most of the ties inspired me to never give up,” Unnati told The Indian Express.

That "never give up" spirit is now complemented by a sharp, analytical mind and a dedication to her studies, having scored 93% in her class 12 exams. She has become a true student of the game. "I like Saina for her retrieval, Sindhu for her aggression and follow-up, An Se-young for her fighting spirit, Tai Tzu-ying for deception, and Ratchanok Intanon for her net game quality," she revealed to The Indian Express in 2025. By beating her idol, Unnati Hooda has proven she is not just a fan anymore, but a formidable peer.

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