Indonesia Open: Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy Out; Satwik-Chirag In Action

News18

2 days ago

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Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy were eliminated from the Indonesia Open as Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are in the men's doubles round of 32.
Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy were eliminated from the Indonesia Open Super 1000 badminton tournament on Tuesday.
India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are up against the Indonesian duo of Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana in the men's doubles round of 32.
Sen, the 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, put up a valiant fight before losing 11-21, 22-20, 15-21 to after a hard-fought match against world number two Shi Yu Qi of China in their first-round men's singles match that lasted 65 minutes.
Despite trailing 11-17 in the second game, Sen mounted a spirited comeback, saving a match point and winning the game 22-20 to force a decider. However, Shi regained control in the third game to secure the win.
Top seed Shi Yu Qi 🇨🇳 comes up against Lakshya Sen 🇮🇳. #BWFWorldTour #IndonesiaOpen2025 pic.twitter.com/B5ZXE9KE2X — BWF (@bwfmedia) June 3, 2025
Prannoy also exited the USD 1,450,000 tournament, losing 17-21, 18-21 to Indonesia's Alwi Farhan.
Malvika Bansod retired from her match against Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia due to a knee injury. Anupama Upadhyaya lost in straight games 15-21, 9-21 to Korea's Kim Ga Eun, and Rakshitha Ramraj was defeated 21-14, 15-21, 12-21 by Thailand's Supanida.
Sindhu vs Okuhara
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu advanced to the second round after beating long-time rival Nozomi Okuhara of Japan with a score of 22-20, 21-23, 21-15 in a gripping one-hour and 19-minute encounter in the women's singles category.
'It is important to get that first win because it definitely boosts my confidence for the next rounds. I have been losing in the first rounds recently, so this win was crucial for me," said Sindhu after her match.
Sindhu and Okuhara, both former world champions, have faced recent struggles. Sindhu's best performance this season was a quarterfinal finish at the India Open in January, while Okuhara hasn't advanced past the second round in six events. Their latest encounter was marked by numerous game points and match points.
Sindhu narrowly won the first game 22-20, saving a game point and delivering critical attacking shots. In the second game, she initially led but trailed 7-11 at the mid-game interval. She fought back to earn two match points with a powerful cross-court smash. However, unforced errors allowed Okuhara to level at 20-20, and the Japanese player eventually won the game 23-21.
Sindhu admitted that nerves affected her play. 'Nerves are always there, I need to play safe or get points. My coach was saying to let go, and after a few points, I managed to do that."
The deciding game saw conservative play from both players. Sindhu led 11-9 at the break and then unleashed a series of winners to surge to 20-12. She converted her fifth match point to secure her spot in the round of 16, improving her head-to-head record against Okuhara to 11-9
Sindhu acknowledged that the game has evolved significantly in recent years, with longer rallies and stronger defense. 'The women's circuit now features longer rallies and stronger defense compared to the past when it was more about attacking."
She also noted improvements in her game but admitted that fitness remains a work in progress. 'It's been a struggle since the India Open. There's been some improvement, but I need to keep trying patiently to get that rhythm. I need to improve a lot more and stay injury-free while focusing on my skill."
Sindhu will face the sixth seed Pornpawee Chochiwong of Thailand.
First Published:
June 03, 2025, 15:37 IST