New Delhi, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s Unnati Hooda came agonisingly close to pulling off a major upset on her BWF World Championships debut before suffering a narrow three-game defeat to Canada’s Michelle Li in the women’s singles Round of 32 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old Indian, who had shown composure in her opening-round win, went down 21-11, 9-21, 21-23 in a contest that lasted just under an hour.
Unnati had entered the second round after beating Myanmar’s Thet Htar Thuzar 22-20, 21-16. She also carries a notable win over two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, whom she defeated at the China Open in 2025.
The Indian made an assertive start against Li, winning four points in succession to establish a 4-1 lead. She maintained control through the opening phase and went into the interval 11-8 ahead.
Li attempted a risky move at the net that cost her a point and serve, but Unnati continued to dictate the rallies. The Indian forced the experienced Canadian to work for every point before sealing the opening game 21-11.
Unnati again moved ahead early in the second game, taking a 3-1 lead. Li, however, quickly turned the momentum around, moving 6-4 ahead before extending her advantage to 11-5 at the interval.
A series of unforced errors from Unnati allowed Li to take greater control, and the Canadian levelled the contest by winning the second game 21-9.
The decider produced the most intense battle of the match. Unnati responded strongly, winning five consecutive points to move 5-4 ahead. Both players traded errors around the net, with the Indian maintaining a narrow 10-9 lead.
Li levelled at 10-10 after Unnati’s poor shot selection, but neither player could establish a decisive advantage as the game progressed. The scores remained locked at 19-19 before Unnati produced a clever deception followed by a strong smash to earn match point at 20-19.
She could not convert the opportunity, and a misjudged shot at a crucial moment allowed Li to regain control. The Canadian eventually closed out the decider 23-21, ending Unnati’s impressive debut at the World Championships.
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