Badminton

Indian shuttlers faced a disappointing end to their Arctic Open campaign in Finland on Thursday, with all representatives bowing out in the pre-quarterfinals.Lakshya Sen, India's top-ranked player, squandered a one-game lead to lose 21-19, 18-21, 15-21 to seventh-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei. The match lasted an arduous one hour and 10 minutes.Qualifier Kiran George, who had upset World No. 25 Wang Tzu Wei in the first round, was outplayed 17-21, 8-21 by fifth-seeded Jonatan Christie of Indonesia.In the women's singles, Malvika Bansod fell 15-21, 8-21 to former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand. Unnati Hooda and Aakarshi Kashyap also suffered defeats in their respective matches.Unnati lost 10-21, 19-21 to Canada's Michelle Li, while Aakarshi went down 9-21, 8-21 to second-seeded Han Yue of China.The mixed doubles pair of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath lost 12-21, 15-21 to the Chinese duo of Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi.In the final Indian match of the day, the women's doubles pair of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda were defeated 8-21, 10-21 by top seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning of China.The Arctic Open is a Super 500 tournament on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour.

India's rising badminton star Lakshya Sen has advanced to the men's singles round of 16 at the Arctic Open Super 500 tournament in Finland. Sen's opponent, Rasmus Gemke, withdrew from their opening round match on Wednesday, giving Sen a walkover.Sen, who narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo, will face the winner of the match between seventh seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei and qualifier Arnaud Merkle of France in the next round. Qualifier Kiran George is the only other Indian in action on Wednesday, taking on Tzu Wei Wang of Chinese Taipei later in the day.On Tuesday, Malvika Bansod continued her impressive form this year by upsetting world No. 23 Sung Shuo Yun of Chinese Taipei in the women's singles. Bansod, who won her first title in over two years in February, showed her resilience in a hard-fought match, winning 21-19, 24-22. However, she faces a tough challenge in the next round against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand.Another promising Indian shuttler, Unnati Hooda, defeated Brazil's Juliana Viana Viera to set up an encounter against Michelle Li of Canada. Rising star Aakarshi Kashyap also progressed to the round of 16 on Tuesday night, beating Germany's Yvonne Li. She will next face second seed Yue Han of China.India's badminton contingent is looking to make a strong showing at the Arctic Open Super 500 tournament. With Sen, Bansod, Hooda, and Kashyap all advancing to the later rounds, India has a chance to secure multiple medals.

Double Olympic medalist PV Sindhu's Arctic Open Super 500 campaign came to an abrupt end in the round of 32, as she succumbed to a 16-21, 10-21 defeat against Canada's Michelle Li. However, rising Indian shuttler Malvika Bansod continued her impressive form, stunning world No. 23 Sung Shuo Yun 21-19, 24-22 to advance to the women's singles pre-quarterfinals.Bansod's victory is a testament to her growing prowess on the international stage. The 23-year-old southpaw, who clinched her first title in over two years at the Azerbaijan International in February, showed her resilience in a hard-fought match that lasted 57 minutes.In the next round, Bansod will face a formidable challenge in the form of either Ratchanok Intanon, the 2013 world champion from Thailand and tournament top seed, or Wang Zhi Yi, the 2022 world champion from China.Meanwhile, Aakarshi Kashyap also secured a place in the pre-quarterfinals with a 21-19, 21-14 victory over Germany's Yvonne Li in another women's singles contest.Sindhu's early exit marks her first tournament since the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old Indian, who has won two Olympic medals (a silver in Rio 2016 and a bronze in Tokyo 2020), will be hoping to bounce back in her next outing.

PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, India's star shuttlers, will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Arctic Open Super 500 tournament in Vantaa, Finland, starting on Tuesday. The tournament marks their first international outing since the Paris Olympics, where they failed to secure any medals.Sindhu and Sen are eager to regain their momentum on the international stage. They have reassessed their performances and made changes to their training regimes. Sindhu has appointed Anup Sridhar and Korean legend Lee Syun Il as her new coaches, while Sen has spent time at the Red Bull Arena in Austria for physical assessment.In the opening round, Sindhu will face familiar rival Michelle Li of Canada, while Sen will compete against Denmark's Rasmus Gemke. Sindhu is favored to overcome Li and could face Japanese sensation Tomako Miyazaki in the next round. For Sen, it's a chance for revenge against Gemke, who defeated him at the India Open earlier this year.Kidambi Srikanth, returning to action after a four-month injury layoff, will compete in the qualifiers alongside Kiran George and Sathish Kumar Karunakaran. In women's singles, Malvika Bansod and Aakarshi Kashyap will also be in contention.In women's doubles, Rituparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda will represent India, while Sathish will partner with Aadya Variyath in mixed doubles.The Indian shuttlers will be looking to make a strong start to their season and build momentum towards the upcoming major tournaments, including the World Championships and the Asian Games.

Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth is set to make his long-awaited return to badminton at the Macau Open, starting Tuesday. The 31-year-old Indian has been sidelined since suffering an injury during the Singapore Open in May.Srikanth, who is seeded sixth for the BWF Super 300 event, will be joined by a 23-member Indian contingent. The contingent includes promising shuttler Malvika Bansod, who recently reached the quarterfinals of the China Open. However, Bansod has withdrawn from the Macau Open.In Srikanth's absence, India's hopes in the men's singles competition will rest on the shoulders of Mithun Manjunath, Sameer Verma, and Ayush Shetty.In the women's singles, Anupama Upadhyaya, Tanya Hemanth, and Tasnim Mir will be the Indian representatives.India's best chance for a podium finish lies in the women's doubles competition, where Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly are seeded third. The duo reached the semifinals of the Singapore Open BWF Super 750 event earlier this year.Commonwealth Games medalists N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy will lead India's charge in the mixed doubles competition.Notably, two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will not be participating in the Macau Open.The tournament will conclude on Sunday, November 27.

Paralympic champion Nitesh Kumar has raised concerns over the lack of recognition and administrative support for para badminton within the Badminton Association of India (BAI). Kumar, who won a historic gold medal in the SL3 class at the Paris Paralympics, has called for para badminton to be transferred under the aegis of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for the sport's betterment and progress.Kumar expressed his dissatisfaction with BAI's lack of attention to para badminton, despite the significant achievements of para shuttlers. "We have won 21 medals at the Asian Para Games, around 14-15 medals at the World Championships, and 5 medals at the Paralympics, but we don't receive basic appreciation from BAI," Kumar said.He highlighted several administrative issues affecting para shuttlers, including delays, inefficiencies, and logistical problems. "There are significant administrative delays and inefficiencies. Often, only 1 or 2 people manage everything, and it's kind of too much for them, they sometimes miss things," Kumar said.Kumar emphasized the need for a dedicated administration team, clear communication channels, and player involvement in selection procedures. "First and foremost, we need a proper administration team. Currently, all responsibilities often fall on one person, which at times gets overwhelming. With a dedicated team, tasks can be distributed effectively and managed more efficiently," Kumar said.He also raised concerns about the lack of support for para badminton in terms of funding, training facilities, and equipment. "We need more funding for para badminton. We need better training facilities and equipment. We need more coaches and support staff," Kumar said.Kumar's call for the transfer of para badminton to PCI has received support from other para shuttlers and sports enthusiasts. They believe that PCI has a better track record of supporting para sports and can provide the necessary resources and support for the growth and development of para badminton in India.

Saina Nehwal, India's badminton icon and former Olympic bronze medalist, has revealed her battle with arthritis, casting doubt on her future in the sport. The 34-year-old, who made history as the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal, is facing the reality that her illustrious career may be nearing its end.Nehwal's knee injury, aggravated by arthritis, has severely limited her training hours. "The knee is not very good. I have arthritis. My cartilage has gone to a bad state. It is very difficult to push for eight-nine hours," she said.The realization that her body is no longer capable of the rigorous training required to compete at the highest level has forced Nehwal to confront the possibility of retirement. "I think I will have to accept it somewhere. Because two hours of training is not good enough to play with the highest level of players and get the desired results," she admitted.Nehwal's decision will be influenced by the impact retirement will have on her life. "I am also thinking about it (retirement). It will be sad because it is like a job that a normal person does. Obviously, a sportsperson's career is always a short one," she said.Despite the challenges, Nehwal remains proud of her accomplishments. "I have also had a long career and I am very proud of that. I have broken my body to a great extent. I am happy with what I have done and given it all," she said.The Padma Shri awardee expressed her disappointment at missing the Olympics for two consecutive editions. "Competing at the Olympics is a childhood dream for all. You prepare to reach that level for years. Hence, at times, when you realize you will not be able to make it, it hurts a lot," she said.Nehwal also spoke about the pressure of expectations that comes with being a top athlete. "When you become a big player, your friends, family, coaches, sponsors, everyone wants you to perform. There are a lot of stakeholders involved," she said.As she contemplates her future, Nehwal remains grateful for the support she has received throughout her career. "I have done a lot of hard work. I competed in three Olympics. I gave my 100 per cent in all of them. I can take pride in that and be happy about it," she said.

In a highly anticipated rematch of the Tokyo Paralympics gold medal match, India's Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj faced off against France's Lucas Mazur once again in the Men's Singles SL4 section at the Paris Paralympics. However, history repeated itself as Mazur emerged victorious, securing a 2-0 (9-21, 13-21) victory over Yathiraj, leaving the Indian with a silver medal.Yathiraj, an IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, had previously lost to Mazur in three games in the Tokyo final. Despite a valiant effort, he was unable to replicate that performance in Paris, falling short in both games. The SL4 category is designed for players with movement affected at a low level on one side of the body, in both legs, or the minor absence of one limb. They play standing on a full-width court and possess good court movement and a full range of shots.Yathiraj, the reigning Asian Para Games gold medallist in the SL4 category, has a long-standing rivalry with Mazur. The Frenchman continued his dominance in the tournament, taking an early 7-0 lead in the first game. Despite Yathiraj's attempts to fight back, Mazur's early advantage proved insurmountable, resulting in a 9-21 loss for the Indian.In the second game, Yathiraj sought to gain momentum, but Mazur's challenge proved too formidable. The Indian trailed 6-11 at the mid-game interval and was unable to close the gap, ultimately losing 13-21. Mazur comfortably secured his second consecutive gold medal in this category.Yathiraj's journey in Paris began with two consecutive straight-set victories. He defeated Indonesia's Hikmant Ramdani 21-7, 21-5 and Republic of Korea's Kyung Hwan Shin in the opening stages to top Group A. Group winners were guaranteed a spot in the semifinals of the event, where Suhas faced compatriot Sukant Kadam.Yathiraj bested Kadam in straight games, securing a decisive 2-0 victory (21-19, 21-12) in a match that lasted 35 minutes. The win over Kadam paved the way for a rematch between Yathiraj and Mazur, which ultimately went the Tokyo way, with the Indian settling for silver.Mazur carved his way into the final by topping Group D. He defeated Brazil's Rogerio Oliviera 2-0 before knocking out Indian para-shuttler Tarun Dhillon 2-0 in the second game. He then proceeded to breeze past Indonesian Fredy Satiawan, the bronze medallist in Tokyo, with yet another 2-0 victory.Yathiraj, alongside Thulasimathi Murugesan, who won the silver, and Manisha Ramadass, who secured the bronze medal in the Women's Singles SU5 category earlier, has taken India's medal tally in Paris to 12.

Saina Nehwal, India's badminton icon and former Olympic bronze medalist, has revealed her battle with arthritis, casting doubt on her future in the sport. The 34-year-old, who made history as the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal, has been hampered by injuries in recent years.Nehwal's knee condition has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer train for the extended hours required to compete at the highest level. "The knee is not very good. I have arthritis. My cartilage has gone to a bad state. It is very difficult to push for eight-nine hours," she said.The realization that her career is nearing its end has been a difficult one for Nehwal. "I think I will have to accept it somewhere. Because two hours of training is not good enough to play with the highest level of players and get the desired results," she admitted.Nehwal is considering retirement but is still weighing the impact it will have on her life. "I am also thinking about it (retirement). It will be sad because it is like a job that a normal person does. Obviously, a sportsperson's career is always a short one," she said.Despite the challenges, Nehwal looks back on her career with pride. She competed in three Olympic Games and gave her all in each one. "I have done a lot of hard work. I competed in three Olympics. I gave my 100 per cent in all of them. I can take pride in that and be happy about it," she said.Nehwal also spoke about the pressure of expectations that comes with being a top athlete. "When you become a big player, your friends, family, coaches, sponsors, everyone wants you to perform. There are a lot of stakeholders involved," she said.As Nehwal contemplates her future, she knows that she will have to make a decision by the end of the year. Her legacy as one of India's greatest badminton players is secure, but the question remains whether she will continue to push her body or step away from the sport that has defined her life.