Badminton: Rounak Chouhan continues dream run, reaches semifinals of US Open

Qualifier Rounak Chouhan beat Misha Zilberman to enter the US Open 2026 semi-finals. His surge followed a straight-games upset of top seed Chou Tien Chen, raising prospects of an all-Indian final.

In Short

• The 18-year-old qualifier beat Misha Zilberman in 38 minutes
• A day earlier, he shocked top seed Chou Tien Chen
• Rounak might face Kidambi Srikanth in an all-Indian final

Teenager Rounak Chouhan's extraordinary breakthrough on the senior international circuit gathered momentum as the 18-year-old stormed into the semifinals of the US Open badminton tournament on Friday.

The prodigy from Chhattisgarh, who entered the BWF World Tour Super 300 event as a qualifier, followed up his staggering Round of 16 giant-killing act with a ruthless quarterfinal victory. Chouhan dismantled Israel's experienced Olympian Misha Zilberman 23-21, 21-11 in a brisk 38 minutes at the Titan Gym, sealing his maiden semifinal appearance at this level.

Chouhan's sensational run in California is underscored by a mature, ice-cool temperament that belies his tender age. On Thursday evening, the world number 80 pulled off a monumental upset by packing off top seed and world number six Chou Tien Chen in straight games, 21-17, 26-24.

Showing immense courage, the former World Junior No. 14 reeled off six consecutive points to snatch the first game, before remarkably erasing a daunting 11-17 deficit in the second. He saved four game points before sprinting into the arms of his mentor, the renowned Korean coach Park Tae Sang, who has been honing his explosive skills at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati since 2023. Off the court, the teenager might joke about wanting the speed of The Flash, but his electric court coverage in Fullerton has proven he already possesses a lightning senior game.

ALL-INDIAN FINALS?

Chouhan's triumph opens up the tantalising prospect of an all-Indian men's singles final on Sunday. Former world number one Kidambi Srikanth rolled back the years in his quarterfinal clash, comfortably outclassing Chinese Taipei's Liao Jhuo-Fu 21-9, 12-21, 21-8. In Saturday's semifinals, the resurgent Srikanth will take on fourth seed Yudai Okimoto of Japan, whilst Chouhan faces a stern test against eighth seed Su Li Yang of Chinese Taipei.

The Indian joy was redoubled in the women's singles draw as Thailand Masters champion Devika Sihag staged a brilliant coup. Displaying immense fortitude during the critical business end of both games, Sihag upset Japan's third seed Riko Gunji 22-20, 21-19 to book her semifinal berth against Denmark's second seed Line Christophersen. Christophersen had earlier halted India's Tanvi Sharma 21-16, 11-21, 21-11, while Rakshitha Sree also bowed out following a fighting 15-21, 21-16, 21-12 defeat to Canada's Rachel Chan.

- Ends