Badminton

India's Top Shuttlers Withdraw from BWF Japan OpenIndia's top badminton players, including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, and the men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, have withdrawn from the upcoming BWF Japan Open, scheduled to commence on August 24.The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that defending champion Viktor Axelsen, fresh from winning his second Olympic gold medal, will be among the star attractions in the tournament. However, there have been several high-profile withdrawals, including Olympic champions Zheng Si Wei/Huang Ya Qiong, Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, Chen Yu Fei, and Apriyani Rahayu/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti.Lakshya Sen came close to winning the bronze medal for India in the Paris Olympics but lost to Axelsen in the semifinals. Other prominent withdrawals from India include Priyanshu Rajawat, Sameer Verma, Sankar Muthusamy, and Pusarla V Sindhu.Despite the withdrawals, the field in all categories remains strong. Shi Yu Qi, Jonatan Christie, Anders Antonsen, Kodai Naraoka, and Kunlavut Vitidsarn are expected to compete in men's singles, while Tai Tzu Ying, Akane Yamaguchi, Wang Zhi Yi, and Gregoria Mariska Tunjung will be in action in women's singles.In men's doubles, world champions Seo Seung Jae/Kang Min Hyuk will be looking for their first Japan Open title, while in women's doubles, local hopefuls Chiharu Shida/Nami Matsuyama and Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara will attempt to break the Korean success streak.Olympic bronze medallists Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino will defend their mixed doubles title, with the field also featuring world champions Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung, Olympic silver medallists Kim Won Ho/Jeong Na Eun, and Indonesia Open winners Jiang Zheng Bang/Wei Ya Xin.

Indian Badminton Contingent Primed for Paris Olympics GloryAs the Paris Olympics draw near, India's badminton contingent is poised to make a significant impact on the world stage. Led by two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu, the "super seven" Indian shuttlers are ready to showcase their skills at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena.PV Sindhu: Aiming for a Third MedalPV Sindhu, India's most decorated badminton player, carries the weight of expectations as she seeks to add to her Olympic medal tally. Despite recent injuries, Sindhu remains a formidable force, having won the Commonwealth Games title in 2022. She will face a tough test in the pre-quarterfinals against world No. 8 He Bing Jiao of China.Satwik-Chirag: Medal Favorites in Men's DoublesSatwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, known as Satwik-Chirag, are the favorites to earn India a medal in men's doubles. The duo has been in exceptional form, winning multiple titles and reaching the world No. 3 ranking. They will aim to replicate their success from the Tokyo Olympics, where they defeated the eventual champions.Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy: Battling for a Quarterfinal BerthIn men's singles, India will be represented by Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy. However, only one of them will advance to the quarterfinals due to an unfortunate draw. Prannoy is likely to top his group, while Sen faces a challenging task against world No. 3 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto: Underdogs in Women's DoublesAshwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto will represent India in women's doubles. They face a daunting task in their group, which includes world No. 4 Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida of Japan and 2023 All England champions Kim So-yeong/Kong Hee-yong of South Korea.ConclusionIndia's badminton contingent is ready to make a mark at the Paris Olympics. With a mix of experience and rising stars, the "super seven" shuttlers have the potential to bring home medals and add to India's sporting legacy.

In 2021, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made a stunning debut at the Tokyo Olympics, upsetting eventual gold medalists Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin. Despite their initial success, a loss in their second match left their Olympic hopes hanging in the balance. They eventually recovered to win their final group game, but it wasn't enough to advance to the quarterfinals. The heartbreak left the pair and their coach, Mathias Boe, in tears.Three years later, Satwik and Chirag have emerged as heavyweights in men's doubles, a highly competitive category. Under Boe's guidance, they have won titles and set records, including a World Championships bronze, an Asian Games gold, an Asian Championships title, and a rise to the top of the world rankings. They also played a crucial role in India's historic Thomas Cup victory.As they prepare for the Paris Olympics, Satwik and Chirag are considered title contenders. Former India shuttler Parupalli Kashyap believes they have a strong chance of winning India's first-ever badminton gold at the Games. They are placed in Group C, with their only immediate threat being world no. 7 Fajar Alfian / Muhammad Rian Ardianto. However, Kashyap identifies world no. 1 Liang Weikeng / Wang Chang and the South Korean duo of Kang Min-hyuk / Seo Seung-jae as their toughest competitors.Kashyap also highlights the potential of HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen in the men's singles category. Prannoy is a multiple super series winner and World Championships medalist, while Sen has shown his ability to rise to the occasion in big matches. Kashyap believes both players have the potential to create upsets and progress in the tournament.

PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand emerged victorious in the opening round of the Singapore Open Super 750 Badminton Tournament on Wednesday. However, Lakshya Sen faced a disappointing defeat against world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen.Sindhu, a former Singapore Open champion, defeated world No. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark 21-12, 22-20 in a 44-minute encounter. She will now face Rio Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain, who holds an 11-5 record against the Indian.Prannoy overcame a spirited challenge from Julien Carraggi of Belgium 21-9, 18-21, 21-9 to set up a meeting with Japan's Kenta Nishimoto. Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Jolly and Gopichand notched up a 21-7, 21-14 win over Cheng Yu-Pei and Sun Yu Hsing of Chinese Taipei in women's doubles.However, Lakshya Sen, who will make his Olympic debut in Paris, fought hard but lost 13-21, 21-16, 13-21 to Axelsen in a 62-minute battle. Kidambi Srikanth's opening round match ended in agony as he retired due to a knee injury after lagging 14-21, 3-11 against Japan's fifth seed Kodai Naraoka.In other results, Olympic-bound women's combination Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa lost 21-18, 19-21, 19-21 to Ukraine's Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kantemyr. Men's pair Krishna Prasad Garage and Sai Pratheek K suffered a 16-21, 22-24 loss to second seeded Chinese Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang. B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy lost 18-21, 19-21 to Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie in mixed doubles, while Venkat Gaurav Prasad and Juhi Dewangan lost 8-21, 8-21 against Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch.

Indian badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will lead the charge for India at the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament, starting Tuesday in Bangkok. The top-seeded Indian pair, considered favorites for Olympic gold in Paris, will aim to regain their competitive edge after facing challenges in the Thomas Cup.Rankireddy and Shetty will face Malaysia's Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub Azriyn and Tan Wee Kiong in their opening match. The tournament serves as a crucial platform for Olympic-bound shuttlers to refine their skills and test new strategies.India's top singles player, HS Prannoy, will also seek to improve his form after battling health issues this season. Despite a confidence-boosting win over Indonesia's Anthony Ginting, Prannoy's loss to China's Shi Yuqi highlights the need for him to close out tight matches.Other Indian singles players in the fray include Kiran George and Sathish Kumar Karunakaran. In women's singles, Ashmita Chaliha, Malvika Bansod, and Aakarshi Kashyap will represent India in the absence of PV Sindhu.In women's doubles, the fourth-seeded Indian pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa, who have qualified for the Paris Games, will begin their campaign in the second round.The Thailand Open Super 500 tournament provides a valuable opportunity for Indian shuttlers to fine-tune their preparations for the Paris Olympics and showcase their skills on the international stage.

India's Thomas Cup defense hit a roadblock as they succumbed to a 1-4 defeat against Indonesia in their final Group C tie. Despite qualifying for the quarter-finals, the defending champions were given a wake-up call ahead of the knockouts.HS Prannoy emerged as a bright spot for India, showcasing his readiness for the upcoming challenges. The Indian No.1 overcame health concerns to pull off a come-from-behind victory over world No.7 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting.The first doubles match proved to be a nail-biter, with Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty narrowly losing to Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana after saving 12 match points.Lakshya Sen fought valiantly against reigning All England and Asian champion Jonatan Christie, but ultimately fell short in a three-game thriller. The defeat gave Indonesia the lead in the tie.India's hopes of an upset in the second doubles were dashed as Dhruv Kapila and K Sai Pratheek lost to world No.13 Leo Carnando and Daniel Martin.In the third singles, Kidambi Srikanth squandered two match points before losing to Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.Despite the setback, India remains confident heading into the quarter-finals, where they will face hosts China. The Indian women's team, meanwhile, will take on Japan in the Uber Cup quarter-final on Thursday.

HS Prannoy and PV Sindhu, two of India's top badminton players, advanced to the second round of the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, on Wednesday. Prannoy, ranked ninth in the world, displayed remarkable resilience in a three-game victory over China's Lu Guang Zu, while Sindhu, a double Olympic medalist, overcame a tough challenge from Malaysia's Goh Jin Wei.Prannoy, who has been battling gut issues this season, faced an uphill battle against Lu, who had won all three of their previous encounters. However, the Indian showed great determination, rallying from a 6-1 deficit in the second game and saving two match points in the third game to secure a 17-21, 23-21, 23-21 victory.Sindhu, who is seeking to regain her form ahead of the Paris Olympics, also faced a stern test against Goh. The Indian lost the first game but fought back to win the next two, 21-14, 21-19. Sindhu will next face China's Han Yue, against whom she has a perfect 5-0 record.However, it was a disappointing day for other Indian shuttlers. Lakshya Sen, who is also bound for the Olympics, lost to top seed Shi Yu Qi of China, while Kidambi Srikanth suffered a defeat against Indonesia's Anthony Ginting. Priyanshu Rajawat and the doubles pair of MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila also exited the tournament in the first round.Prannoy's victory over Lu was particularly significant, as it marked his first win over the Chinese player. The Indian will now face Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the second round.Sindhu's win over Goh was also important, as it gave her a much-needed confidence boost. The Indian will be hoping to continue her winning ways against Han Yue and secure a place in the quarterfinals.

PV Sindhu, India's double Olympic medalist, advanced to the second round of the women's singles competition at the All England Championships on Tuesday. However, HS Prannoy and Kidambi Srikanth faced setbacks in the opening round of men's singles.Sindhu, ranked 11th in the world, dominated the first game against German opponent Li Yvonne Li, winning 21-10. However, Li retired in the second game, allowing Sindhu to progress to the next round. The Indian is likely to face top seed An Se Young of Korea, who has been a formidable opponent, having defeated Sindhu in all six of their previous encounters.In men's singles, Prannoy, ranked 8th in the world, squandered an early lead to lose 21-14, 13-21, 13-21 to Su Li Yang of Chinese Taipei. This marked Prannoy's second consecutive first-round exit after his loss at the French Open last week.Srikanth, who is aiming to qualify for the Paris Olympics, suffered a disappointing defeat against world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen, losing 9-21, 9-21. This leaves Lakshya Sen and Priyanshu Rajawat as the only Indian contenders in men's singles.Aakarshi Kashyap also bowed out in the opening round, losing 16-21, 11-21 to Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will face Indonesia's Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti later in the day.

India's Kidambi Srikanth emerged victorious in the men's singles first round of the French Open Super 750 badminton tournament, while HS Prannoy faced an early exit. Srikanth, ranked 24th in the world, displayed his prowess by defeating 14th-ranked Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling 66-minute encounter. The match witnessed a fierce battle, with Srikanth ultimately triumphing 21-15, 20-22, 21-8.Srikanth's victory marks his third win over Chen in seven meetings. The Indian shuttler showcased his dominance in the first game, securing a 14-point lead after trailing 5-7. However, Chen fought back in the second game, forcing a decider. In the final game, Srikanth regained his momentum, securing nine consecutive points to leave Chen trailing.In the adjacent court, Prannoy's hopes of advancing were dashed by China's Lu Guang Zu. Prannoy initially held a 5-2 lead in the opening game, but Guang Zu gradually closed the gap and eventually took the game 21-17. The second game followed a similar pattern, with Prannoy struggling to maintain his lead. Guang Zu capitalized on Prannoy's errors, securing the second game 21-17 and ending the Indian's campaign.Srikanth's victory sets him up for a second-round clash against China's Lu Guang Zu, who defeated Prannoy. The Indian shuttler will be aiming to continue his winning streak and secure a spot in the quarterfinals.