Ukraine international

Sathish Kumar Karunakaran: Emerging Indian badminton player Sathish Kumar Karunakaran etched his name in the badminton circuit as he clinched his maiden BWF Tour title at the recently concluded Odisha Masters 2023, held in Cuttack.

Sathish beat Ayush Shetty 21-18, 19-21, 21-14 to win the Men’s Singles final title. Coming into this tournament, Sathish had a good season with Singles title wins at India International wins back-to-back in Bangalore, followed by in Raipur and a runner-up finish at the Maldives International Series.

In a match that lasted more than an hour, Sathish clinched the win against Ayush Shetty, a bronze medalist at the World Junior Championships in 2023. This win is a testament to the growth Sathish has made in the last couple of years. Putting in consistent performances in international competitions which has catapulted his world ranking from 508 to 51.