After 1,800 km dash, reserves Surya-Pramuthesh endure golden point heartbreak
Indian badminton players Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh traveled 1,800 kilometers to compete in the BWF World Championships after receiving a last-minute reserve spot. Despite a strong performance, they suffered a narrow defeat against a Turkish pair in a match that featured the tournament's first golden point.
Why it matters
The match highlights the high-stakes nature of international sports and the introduction of the golden point rule in professional badminton.
New Delhi: Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh were competing in the mixed doubles draw of the Karnataka State Senior Championships in Dharwad. The second seeds had just lost their quarter-final in a thriller to Chiranjeevi Reddy and Sai Akshara Sista when the phone rang.They were notified that withdrawals at the Delhi World Championships had opened up a spot for them as reserves. Not wanting to miss such an opportunity, they took the first flight and made the 1,800-kilometre journey north, landing on the eve of the competition.“We were playing the state championships, but this was more important. We are happy to debut, and we couldn't miss this chance. It’s like a dream come true for us,” said Surya on Tuesday.Pramuthesh agreed.“I think this is what we have dreamt about. I think we never thought we would get entry for this.
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