How Unnati Hooda beat World No 6 Wardani to make Last 8 of Asian Games

Unnati Hooda put World No 6 Putri Kusuma Wardani out of contention by defeating her in the last 8 of Asian Games. The Indian squash player, who entered the Top 20 rankings next week, displayed an impressive display of grit and mental strength in her 80-minute match against Wardani. She won 21-14, 20-22, 21-19 against the Malaysian player, who was ranked higher than Unnati.

The Indian contingent at the Asian Games had a successful Saturday when squash star Anahat Singh also defeated a World No 6, Japanese player, to make the finals. Unnati played her match on Court 4, without any YouTube stream, and had to deal with a dysfunctional court. Her coach, Guru Saidutt, advised her to come up with her own strategy, as too much planning was unnecessary.

Unnati's mental strength shone through as she kept playing even when physically exhausted, and her opponent started to crack. She used sudden flicks of the serve and long rallies to her advantage, ultimately winning the match. Guru praised Unnati's discipline and ability to keep the shuttle in play even when tired, which proved to be a key factor in her victory.

Despite criticism over her footwork, Unnati's ability to maintain her performance despite fatigue was what ultimately won her the match.