
American teenager Garret Tan’s surprise run at the badminton world championships ended in New Delhi on Thursday, when Thailand’s second-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn beat him in straight games. The 18-year-old, ranked 92nd in…
American teenager Garret Tan’s surprise run at the badminton world championships ended in New Delhi on Thursday, when Thailand’s second-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn beat him in straight games. The 18-year-old, ranked 92nd in the world, had stunned India’s 14th-ranked Lakshya Sen 2-1 in the previous round after recovering from a game down.

Tan held his nerve against Sen in front of a noisy, partisan crowd at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. His support team includes US team manager Paula Lynn and women’s doubles player Lauren Lam, an unusual all-woman coaching group. Lynn said Tan benefited from “motherly coaching and big sister support”, while his mother also watched from the stands. Vitidsarn, an Olympic silver medallist at the 2024 Games, ended Tan’s campaign in the third round.
A deep run at a world championship can improve a young player’s ranking position because the tournament awards ranking points according to round reached and opponent strength. That can affect future seeding, draw placement and direct entry into major events. For Tan, the result also provides experience against both a home crowd and an elite seeded opponent, two pressures that differ from regular lower-round contests. His next ranking update will show the practical value of the run. The key signal will be whether he moves closer to the seeded group before the next major tournament.
Source: amp.scmp.com
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