Who is Rounak Chouhan? The 18-year-old from Chhattisgarh stunned Chou Tien Chen at the US Open

Another singles hope of Indian badminton has arrived at lightning speed. In a breathtaking display of intrepidity at California’s Titan Gym, 18-year-old qualifier Rounak Chouhan pulled off a monumental upset of the US Open Super 300 by sweeping world number six and top seed Chou Tien Chen in straight games on Thursday.

The 49-minute, 21-17, 26-24 second-round masterclass was Rounak Chouhan’s first win over a top-10 opponent and a definitive declaration of his ice-cold temperament under intense pressure.

The teenager from Chhattisgarh, currently world number 80, consistently turned the tables on his highly experienced Taiwanese opponent. In the opening game, at 15-17, Chouhan pulled off six unanswered points with aggressive and accurate play to open the opener. The ultimate test of his character came in the second game when the veteran Chou commanded a 17-11 lead. Undeterred, the Indian junior star put on a sensational fightback to get level. In a thrilling point-for-point final, Chouhan saved four game points before converting his second match point to seal the historic victory. Rounaq Chouhan trains at the National Center of Excellence in Guwahati (Courtesy: BAI)

Moments after the winning shuttle touched the court, the victorious Chouhan ran right into Park Tae Sang’s arms.

The renowned Korean coach, who worked with PV Sindhu during her medal run at the Tokyo Olympics, is quietly grooming other Indian singles talent at the National Center of Excellence (NCE) in Guwahati. When the state-of-the-art facility opened its doors in 2023, Chouhan was one of the foundation’s interns, and the meticulous preparation is paying off immediately on the elite circuit.

Off the courts, the BWF World Junior #14 is a regular teenager who loves to relax with video games, hang out in coffee shops and watch superhero blockbusters. When asked about his desired superpower, Chouhan once joked that he would choose “speed like The Flash”.

On Thursday night, his court coverage and explosive reflexes proved he’s not far off.

Having already defended his India Junior International Series crown in Hyderabad and played in India’s historic bid for bronze at the 2025 World Junior Team Championship, Rounak Chouhan’s transition to the senior side has been seamless. After a promising pre-quarter-final run at the Macau Open last week, the teenager has booked a quarter-final showdown with Israel’s Misha Zilberman. No longer just a prospect, the Chhattisgarh lad is now a genuine contender.

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

26 Jun 2026 20:25 IST