Badminton

Indian badminton players faced a disappointing start at the Denmark Open Super 750 tournament, with both the women's and mixed doubles pairs suffering opening-round defeats on Wednesday.In the women's doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand squandered a game lead to lose 21-19, 17-21, 15-21 against fifth-seeded Malaysian duo Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah. Despite a strong start, the Indian pair couldn't maintain their momentum and eventually succumbed to their higher-ranked opponents.The mixed doubles pair of B Summeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy also endured a heartbreaking loss, falling 22-20, 19-21, 22-24 to Canadian duo Kevin Lee and Eliana Zhang. After taking the first game, the Indians let their lead slip away in the second and third games, narrowly missing out on a victory.The only bright spot for India on Wednesday was double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu, who advanced to the second round of the women's singles after her opponent, Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei, retired midway through the second game.Earlier in the tournament, Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medalist, crashed out in the opening round of the men's singles, while Malvika Bansod and Aakarshi Kashyap also made first-round exits from the women's singles competition.The Denmark Open Super 750 is a prestigious badminton tournament that attracts top players from around the world. The Indian shuttlers will be hoping to bounce back from their disappointing start and make a strong showing in the remaining rounds of the competition.

Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand's remarkable run at the Singapore Open came to a halt in the semifinals, as they succumbed to a straight-game defeat against the formidable Japanese duo of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida. The unseeded Indians, who had stunned top-10 opponents in the previous rounds, were outplayed by the World No. 4 pair, who secured a 23-21, 21-11 victory in 47 minutes.The first game witnessed a spirited fightback from Treesa and Gayatri, who rallied from a 5-10 deficit to level the score at 16-16. However, Matsuyama and Shida maintained their composure and earned a game point at 20-18. The Indian duo displayed resilience, saving two game points to tie the game at 21-21. Nevertheless, the Japanese pair regained their momentum and clinched the first game.The second game proved to be a one-sided affair, as Matsuyama and Shida dominated from the outset. They surged to a commanding 20-6 lead before allowing the Indians to briefly reduce the deficit. However, the gap proved insurmountable, and the Japanese duo sealed their place in the final.Treesa and Gayatri's impressive run at the Singapore Open included victories over World No. 2 Baek Ha Na and Lee So Hee in the pre-quarters and World No. 6 Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Young in the quarters. Their performance showcased their potential and underlined their growing stature in the international badminton circuit.Despite the setback in the semifinals, Treesa and Gayatri have demonstrated their ability to compete against the world's best. Their bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games and their consistent performances on the BWF World Tour Super 750 circuit are a testament to their hard work and dedication.

Indian women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand continue to shine at the BWF World Tour Super 750 event in Malaysia, reaching their first-ever semifinal at this level. The duo, ranked 30th in the world, displayed resilience and determination to overcome the challenge of world no. 6 Korean pair Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong in a thrilling quarterfinal encounter.After dropping the first game 18-21, Treesa and Gayatri fought back to win the second game 21-19. The third game was a nail-biter, with both pairs trading points and the lead changing hands several times. However, the Indians held their nerve to secure a 24-22 victory and book their place in the semifinals.Their victory is a testament to their hard work and dedication, as they have consistently performed well in recent tournaments. Earlier in the tournament, they defeated the world no. 2 Korean pair of Baek Na Ha and Lee So Hee in the Round of 16.Treesa and Gayatri are the only Indians remaining in the tournament, as ace shuttler PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy were eliminated in the women's singles and men's singles second round, respectively.The Indian pair will face the winner of the second quarterfinal between Nami Matsuyama-Chiharu Shifa of Japan and Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti of Indonesia in the semifinals on Saturday.