Image credits: BAI Media
Indian badminton saw mixed fortunes at the China Masters Super 750 tournament on Thursday as Lakshya Sen stormed into the quarterfinals, while PV Sindhu suffered a hard-fought defeat, marking another early exit in a turbulent season for the two-time Olympic medallist.
Lakshya Sen’s Dominance
Lakshya Sen, who narrowly missed a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, showcased his class and precision to defeat Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in straight games. The 46-minute men’s singles match ended with a scoreline of 21-6, 21-18, demonstrating Lakshya’s lethal form.
- First Game: Lakshya started aggressively, dictating the tempo with sharp net play and excellent court coverage. His dominance was evident as Gemke struggled to keep pace, handing Lakshya an easy victory in the opening game.
- Second Game: The contest became more competitive, with Gemke putting up resistance until the halfway mark. Lakshya, however, maintained his composure, using powerful smashes and forcing errors from his opponent to seal the win.
Lakshya will next face the winner of the clash between Japan’s Takuma Obayashi and Denmark’s third seed, Anders Antonsen, in the quarterfinals.
PV Sindhu Falls Short
It was another heartbreaking day for PV Sindhu, who lost in the women’s singles second round to Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min. The closely contested match lasted an intense one hour and nine minutes, ending with a score of 16-21, 21-17, 21-23.
Image credits: BAI Media
- First Game: Sindhu started strong but fell behind after a series of unforced errors, allowing Min to establish an 11-6 lead. Despite a late surge, Sindhu couldn’t close the gap.
- Second Game: Determined to fight back, Sindhu raced to an early lead and displayed her experience with aggressive rallies to take the game and level the match.
- Decider: The final game was a nail-biter. Sindhu held a promising 13-9 lead, but Min fought back valiantly, capitalizing on Sindhu’s fatigue and errors to clinch her first-ever win against the Indian star in six encounters.
Mixed Results for Other Indian Players
The Indian contingent faced more setbacks in other events:
- Anupama Upadhyaya bowed out with a 7-21, 14-21 defeat to Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira.
- Malvika Bansod was overwhelmed by Thailand’s eighth seed Supanida Katethong, suffering a one-sided 9-21, 9-21 loss.
- The women’s doubles duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost to China’s second-seeded pair, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, in 16-21, 11-21.
Satwik-Chirag Duo Advances
Defending men’s doubles champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a strong comeback following their Asian Games triumph. The pair defeated Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Soggard in straight games, 21-19, 21-15, to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Their next challenge is against the second-seeded Danish duo of Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.
Looking Ahead
While Lakshya Sen and the Satwik-Chirag pair keep Indian hopes alive, PV Sindhu’s loss adds to her string of early exits this year, raising questions about her form and future prospects. With the quarterfinals promising high-octane action, all eyes will now be on Lakshya to continue his stellar run and bring glory to Indian badminton.