Jagsher Singh Khangurra saves match point to reach World Junior semi-finals in Cairo
Jagsher Singh Khangurra saved a match point to beat Chinese Taipei's Yuan-Syue Jhuang 6-15, 17-15, 15-12 in a boys' singles quarter-final at the BWF World Junior Championships in Cairo on Thursday, guaranteeing the 15-year-old a medal.
The Punjab teenager said the result at his first World Junior Championships was beyond words and that he has been dreaming of this moment for years. "The feeling can't be expressed by words. It's really awesome, getting a medal for India. I can't express it in words," Khangurra said after the match. "(For) almost 5-6 years I have been dreaming of playing in the World Championship, Junior World Championship. Now, I have already secured a medal, but I am hoping for gold."
Jhuang controlled the opening game, winning 15-6, and carried that pressure into the second until Khangurra fought back. Khangurra saved a match point late in the second set and took it 17-15 before closing the decider 15-12. The turnaround followed a deliberate mental reset by the Indian under pressure.
On-court self-talk played a clear role in Khangurra's recovery as he focused on the occasion and those he was representing. "He outplayed me in the first set, like I was not able to control. But in the second set, I talked to myself, like this is a quarter-final match. I have to play for India, for my parents," he said. "It gave me a lot of boost and I only thought that I have to take all the shuttles. I will not leave any shuttle."
Khangurra has trained for the past two years at the Centre for Badminton Excellence in Bengaluru under coaches Sagar Chopda and Muniramu G. He has won six medals at international tournaments and said he needs to work on developing his power to compete consistently at higher levels.
He also cited watching established players as part of his learning, naming Lakshya Sen specifically. "I have watched many matches of international players, including India's Lakshya Sen. He trains in the same place. I watch him play; he is really good. He also likes to do placements," Khangurra said.
The 14th seed reached the last four after earlier wins over Malaysia's Lee Qian Chong (15-8, 15-8 in the pre-quarter-finals) and Thailand's 22nd seed Punnatat Prempunpong in the round of 32, having also beaten Mauritius' Pranav Bhaugeerothee and Algeria's Mohamed Rayane Bouffeniche in earlier rounds. He will next face Indonesia's Radithya Bayu Wardhana, seeded 31st, on Friday for a place in the final.
India have previously won one gold, five silver and six bronze medals in boys' singles at the World Junior Championships, and Khangurra's quarter-final victory has already secured him a podium finish. India's girls' singles campaign ended in the quarter-finals when Shaina Manimuthu lost 5-15, 8-15 to China's Yi Qing Yin.
Khangurra now heads into a semi-final berth-deciding match on Friday against Radithya Bayu Wardhana; a win would put him into the final and give him the opportunity to fight for the gold he said he has long dreamed of.
