In a stunning display of rapid progress, teenage badminton sensation Sanskar Saraswat from Rajasthan has catapulted himself into the spotlight by achieving a monumental leap in the global rankings. The 19-year-old shuttler surged an incredible 178 places in just two weeks to secure a career-best world ranking of 206, as per the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) list.
A Fortnight of Phenomenal Success
The journey for the Jodhpur-born athlete began when he was ranked 384 in the world. His fortunes transformed dramatically earlier this month at the BWF World Tour 100 tournament in Guwahati. Clinching his maiden international title there proved to be the catalyst for his ascent. In an all-Indian men's singles final on December 7, Sanskar delivered a major upset by defeating senior compatriot and world number 63, Mithun Manjunath, with scores of 21-11, 17-21, 21-13.
This historic victory earned him 5,500 precious ranking points, propelling his meteoric rise. He was the top Indian men's singles player to make such a significant jump this month.
Maintaining Momentum and Setting New Goals
Carrying his dream form forward, Sanskar continued to perform well at the subsequent Odisha Masters, another BWF World Tour 100 event. He successfully qualified for the main draw, eventually putting up a fierce fight before losing to Rounak Chouhan in a three-game match. This performance added another 510 points to his tally. So far in 2025, he has participated in 11 international tournaments, amassing a total of 9,090 points.
Currently, the highest-ranked shuttler from Rajasthan is Jaipur's Pranay Katta at world number 129. Buoyed by his recent breakthrough, Sanskar is now setting his sights even higher. "I want to gradually improve my performance over the next few months," he stated. His plan involves playing a series of International Challenge and Super 100 events to accumulate points and climb further up the ladder.
Roadmap to the Top Tier
"My aim is to land podium finishes in those tournaments so that I can gain entry into Super 300 and Super 500 events in the future," Sanskar revealed, outlining his strategic pathway. The South Eastern Railways employee has a packed schedule ahead. His immediate focus is the 87th Senior National Badminton Championships in Vijayawada from December 22 to 28, where he aims to excel in men's singles. Alongside Arsh Mohammed, he also plans to defend their men's doubles title.
Looking further ahead, Sanskar has submitted his entry for a Super 300 tournament in Thailand at the end of January. "My target is to break into the top-80 by the end of next year," he declared ambitiously. This remarkable journey has been supported by training stints at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad and, more recently, at the BAI's National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, with backing from the Reliance Foundation.
