Goa’s rising badminton talent, 10-year-old Amaira Dhumatker, bowed out in the quarterfinals of the Girls’ Singles Under-13 event at the Yonex-Sunrise All India Sub Junior (U-13) Ranking Badminton Tournament 2026 at Patna, going down to Telangana’s Saina Sharma 8-15, 8-15. Interestingly, Saina was also Amaira’s partner in the Girls’ Doubles event, where the pair went down fighting in the pre-quarterfinals.
Manoj Patil, President of Goa Badminton Association (GBA), described Amaira’s performance as a significant achievement. “At just 10 years of age, Amaira has shown a strong inclination to work hard, supported by the dedication and sacrifices of her family. Reaching the quarterfinals of a national ranking tournament is a significant achievement, given the extremely high level of badminton across the country. Her growth and progress have been excellent; she is a special talent, and with continued hard work and the right support, she has tremendous potential to go a long way,” said Patil.
The 10-year-old Goan sensation had begun her campaign with a 15-7, 15-9 victory over Uttar Pradesh’s Shinaya Srivastava in the Round of 64, before stunning third seed Stuthi S. Shetty of Karnataka 15-9, 15-7 in the Round of 32. She continued her impressive run by defeating Andhra Pradesh’s Praharshani Nithya Udatha 16-14, 15-10 in the Round of 16 to book her quarterfinal berth, underlining her growing stature on the national badminton circuit.
Amaira also showcased her skills in the Girls’ Doubles Under-13 event, partnering Saina Sharma of Telangana to beat Maharashtra’s Priya Amburle and Agrima Rana 15-6, 15-13 in the Round of 32. The pair fought hard in the Round of 16 against third seeds Hazel Joshi and Divisha Singh of Maharashtra before going down 12-15, 13-15.
