Bangkok, May 13: The Thailand Open witnessed a mixed day for India on Wednesday. Star badminton players P.V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the second round with ease, while rising star Ayush Shetty was eliminated in the first round.
Former world champion Sindhu defeated Chinese Taipei’s Tung Hsiu-Tung in just 33 minutes, winning 21-9, 21-12. The sixth seed controlled the rallies from the start, combining aggressive court coverage with precise placements for one of her fastest victories of the season.
Sindhu’s next match will be against Denmark’s Amalie Schulz, marking their first encounter.
Srikanth delivered an impressive performance, defeating Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, the 2021 World Championship finalist, with a score of 21-14, 21-15 to secure his place in the round of 16. The Indian player, who won the Thailand Open title in 2013, displayed confidence throughout the match, overcoming a brief challenge in the second game.
The former world number one will now face Chinese Taipei’s Su Li-Yang in the quarter-finals.
Ayush Shetty, despite taking the match against Japan’s sixth seed Kodai Naraoka to a decisive game, could not maintain his momentum. Entering the match with a solid 2-1 head-to-head record, the Indian player made a strong comeback after losing the first game, leveling the match. However, the third game was one-sided as Naraoka established control with his exceptional retrieval skills, winning 21-13, 17-21, 21-4 in 59 minutes.
Unnati Hooda surprised local favorite Pornpawee Chochuwong, winning 11-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Nineteen-year-old Anmol Kharb narrowly missed defeating reigning champion Chen Yu-Fei. After winning the first game and leading 11-2 in the decider, the Indian player could not stop the Chinese star’s comeback, as Chen showcased her speed after the interval to secure a hard-fought victory of 19-21, 21-13, 21-18.
On the other hand, Tharun Mannepalli faced defeat against Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Lakshya Sen, Tanvi Sharma, Devika Sihag, Malvika Bansod, and Isharani Barua are scheduled to compete in singles on Wednesday, while three Indian pairs will participate in mixed doubles.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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