Badminton

India's Lakshya Sen's impressive run at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament came to an end in the quarterfinals, as he succumbed to a hard-fought defeat against world no.5 Anders Antonsen of Denmark. The match, which lasted for an hour and one minute, saw Sen put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell short, losing 22-24, 18-21.The first game was a closely contested affair, with both players showcasing their exceptional skills. Sen, known for his quick reflexes and aggressive play, matched Antonsen's power and precision. The game went down to the wire, with both players tied at 22-22. However, it was Antonsen who managed to secure the crucial points, taking the game 24-22.The second game followed a similar pattern, with both players refusing to give an inch. Sen displayed his determination and resilience, fighting back from an early deficit to level the scores at 18-18. However, Antonsen's experience and composure proved to be the difference, as he capitalized on Sen's unforced errors to seal the game 21-18.Despite the defeat, Sen's performance at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament was a testament to his growing stature in the badminton world. The 21-year-old Indian has consistently performed at a high level in recent months, and his quarterfinal appearance in Jakarta is a further indication of his potential.Antonsen, on the other hand, continues to be a formidable force in the men's singles circuit. The Danish shuttler has won several major titles in his career, including the 2020 European Championships and the 2021 BWF World Tour Finals. His victory over Sen extends his head-to-head record against the Indian to 3-2.In the semifinals, Antonsen will face eighth seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. Vitidsarn has also been in impressive form this season, having won the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament in May. The match promises to be another exciting encounter, with both players looking to secure a place in the final.

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen emerged as the lone beacon of hope for India at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament, securing a spot in the men's singles quarterfinals with a dominant victory over Japan's Kenta Nishimoto. Sen's impressive 21-9, 21-15 triumph in the pre-quarterfinal match showcased his exceptional skills and determination.However, the tournament proved to be a disappointment for India's women's doubles teams. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand bowed out after a hard-fought battle against Japan's Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, losing 21-19, 19-21, 19-21 in the Round-of-16. Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa also suffered a setback, falling to South Korea's Ha Na Baek and So-Hee Lee 21-13, 19-21, 21-13.In the mixed doubles category, B Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy were unable to overcome the challenge of China's Siwei Zheng and Yaqiong Huang, losing 21-9, 21-11 in a lopsided contest.Priyansh Rajawat displayed commendable resilience in the men's singles, putting up a valiant fight against reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. Despite losing 10-21, 17-21, Rajawat showcased his potential by pushing his formidable opponent to the limit in the second game.

India's star shuttler P.V. Sindhu suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the Indonesia Open on Wednesday, losing to Hsu Wen-chi of Chinese Taipei in a thrilling three-game encounter. The match marked Sindhu's first defeat to Wen-chi and her earliest exit from the BWF Super 1000 tournament.Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion, struggled to find her rhythm against the determined Taiwanese shuttler. Wen-chi took the first game 21-15, but Sindhu fought back to win the second 21-15. However, Wen-chi regained control in the decider, securing a 21-14 victory and ending Sindhu's hopes of a deep run in the tournament.The match lasted for an hour and 10 minutes, with Wen-chi showcasing her impressive defense and powerful smashes. Sindhu, known for her aggressive style, was unable to impose her game on her opponent.In other news from the Indonesia Open, the Indian women's doubles pair of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda also suffered a setback. They lost to the sixth-seeded Korean duo of Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong in the round of 32, going down 12-21, 9-21.Sindhu's early exit from the Indonesia Open is a setback for the Indian badminton contingent. However, the tournament continues with several other Indian shuttlers still in contention, including Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the men's doubles.

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen made a strong start to the Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament, securing a straight-game victory over Japan's Kanta Tsuneyama in the men's singles first round. Sen dominated the match, taking just 40 minutes to dispatch Tsuneyama 21-12, 21-17.Sen's victory sets up a second-round clash with either seventh seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia or Japan's Kenta Nishimoto. The Indian shuttler has been in impressive form recently, reaching the semifinals of both the French Open and All England Championships, which earned him a spot in the Olympic qualification.However, it was a disappointing day for Kiran George in the men's singles event. Despite putting up a valiant fight, George fell to Hong Yang Weng of China in a thrilling three-game battle, losing 21-11, 10-21, 20-22.In the mixed doubles, the Indian pair of B Sumeeth Reddy and Sikki Reddy overcame a tough challenge from the American duo of Vinson Chiu and Jennie Gai, winning 18-21, 21-16, 21-17. They will now face a formidable task in the next round, taking on either top seeds Si Wei Zheng and Ya Qiong Huang of China or the Indonesian combination of Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati.Later in the day, the Indian women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will face Yu-Pei Cheng and Yu Hsing Sun of Chinese Taipei, while former world no.1 HS Prannoy will take on Priyanshu Rajawat in an all-Indian men's singles opening round contest.