Badminton

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's title drought continues as she bows out of Spain Masters in the quarter-finals. The former world champion fought valiantly but ultimately fell short against Thai sixth seed Supanida Katethong in a marathon three-game battle.Sindhu, the effective top seed in the absence of local favorite Carolina Marin, had a golden opportunity to end her title drought. However, Katethong proved to be a formidable opponent, pushing the match to a nail-biting decider.In the first game, Sindhu squandered four game points before securing the win. The second game was also closely contested, but Katethong's consistency proved too much for the Indian.The decider was a rollercoaster of emotions. Sindhu trailed 15-20 but staged a remarkable comeback to level the score at 20-all. However, uncharacteristic errors from Sindhu allowed Katethong to snatch the victory 24-26, 21-17, 22-20.In a moment of frustration, Sindhu smashed her racquet on the court, earning a yellow card from the chair umpire. It was a rare display of emotion from the usually composed Indian.Despite Sindhu's exit, India's mixed pair N Sikki Reddy and B Sumeeth Reddy continued their impressive run by reaching the semi-finals. They defeated Indonesian fourth seeds Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto and Lisa Ayu Kusumawati in three games.However, women's doubles third seeds Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa and men's doubles eighth seeds Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun both suffered quarter-final defeats.Sindhu's next tournament will be the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, in April. She will be hoping to break her title drought and regain her winning form.

Lakshya Sen's career took a downturn in the latter half of 2022, with a string of early exits and a split from coach Anup Sridhar. His Olympic qualification chances seemed bleak as he slipped in the rankings. However, the 22-year-old has staged a remarkable turnaround, reaching the semi-finals of both the French Open and All England Open this month.Sen attributes his resurgence to changes in training, including increased court time and focus on specific strokes and variations. He also credits the guidance of coaches Prakash Padukone and U Vimal Kumar, who have instilled confidence and discipline in him.Despite the lean patch, Sen remained determined and trusted the process. He worked tirelessly to improve his fitness and technical skills, and the results are now evident. He acknowledges that he is still not at his peak but believes he is close to playing at his best.The presence of Padukone and Kumar as coaches has been a significant factor in Sen's recent success. Their experience and positive reinforcement have boosted his confidence and helped him navigate tough matches. They have also ensured that he remains disciplined and focused off the court.Looking ahead, Sen is confident about India's chances of defending the Thomas Cup title. He believes the team has the strength to beat any opponent and is determined to give their best.

PV Sindhu, the two-time Olympic medalist and former world champion, has advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the Madrid Spain Masters badminton tournament. In her first-round match on Wednesday, Sindhu defeated Canada's Wen Yu Zhang 21-16, 21-12, in 30 minutes. The second-seeded Sindhu, currently ranked 11th in the world, will face world No. 63 Huang Yu-Husn of Chinese Taipei in the round of 16.However, India's other challenger in the women's singles, Ashmita Chaliha, crashed out in the first round, losing to Ratchanok Intanon 21-13, 21-11 in 28 minutes. India also had a disappointing start in the men's singles event, with Sathish Kumar Karunakaran losing his closely fought first-round match to Jason Teh of Indonesia, the 56th-ranked shuttler.Karunakaran also teamed up with Aadya Variath in mixed doubles competition, but they lost to Indonesia's Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Menthari 21-18, 21-14. Following Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen's withdrawal, Kidambi Srikanth, who was the spearhead of India's men's singles challenge in this tournament, registered a 21-18, 21-15 loss to Japan's Koo Takahashi in the first round.Mithun Manjunath also lost his first-round game against Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei 21-11, 21-12. However, the mixed doubles duo of BS Reddy-N Sikki Reddy marched into pre-quarters following a 16-21, 22-20, 21-14 win over Chinese Taipei's Chen Zhi Ray and Yang Ching Tun.The Madrid Spain Masters 2024 offers players ranking points for the Paris 2024 Olympics, taking place from July-August this year. The ranking period for badminton began on May 1, 2023, and will end next month.

Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu and ace men's shuttler Kidambi Srikanth will embark on their European campaign at the Madrid Spain Masters tournament, commencing on Tuesday. Sindhu, seeded second, will face Wen Yu Zhang of Canada in the round of 32, while seventh seed Srikanth will take on a qualifier.Sindhu, who finished as runner-up in the previous edition, will be eager to make amends after her heartbreaking loss to Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska Tunjung. Srikanth, who reached the semifinals of the Swiss Open Super 300 tournament before bowing out to Chinese Taipei's Lin Chun-Yi, will aim to make an impact after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics.Joining Srikanth in the tournament will be Kiran George and Sathish Karunakaran. Among other Indians in the fray, Ashmita Chaliha will face fourth-seeded and former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, while Malvika Bansod will clash with Iris Wang of the United States.Lakshya Sen, who reached the semifinals of the All England Championships this year, has withdrawn from the tournament. The fifth seed was scheduled to face world No. 39 Takuma Obayashi of Japan.In women's doubles, fifth seeds Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand will lead the Indian charge. The duo will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing quarterfinal loss in the Swiss Open. Third-seeded Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa will also compete, while Ashwini Bhat and Shikha Gautam complete the Indian contingent.In men's doubles, Krishna Prasad Garaga and Sai Pratheek will open against fourth-seeded Canadians Dong Adam and Yakura Nyl, while eighth seeds M R Arjun and Dhruv Kapila will take on the Mexican duo of Job Castillo and Luis Armando Montoya Navarro.

Kidambi Srikanth's Swiss Open 2024 campaign ended in disappointment as the Indian badminton star succumbed to a hard-fought defeat in the men's singles semi-finals. Facing world No. 22 Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei, Srikanth displayed flashes of brilliance but ultimately fell short in a thrilling three-game encounter.The match began with Srikanth asserting his dominance, showcasing his trademark offensive smashes and deft net play to secure the opening game 21-15. However, Chun-Yi responded with a vengeance in the second game, swiftly turning a 4-1 deficit into a 6-5 lead. The Chinese Taipei shuttler then unleashed a devastating run of seven consecutive points, leaving Srikanth trailing 12-6. Despite a late surge, Srikanth could not recover, losing the game 9-21.The decider proved to be a nail-biting affair, with both players trading blows. Chun-Yi seized an early 4-1 advantage, but Srikanth fought back to establish a narrow 11-10 lead at the interval. The game remained fiercely contested until the closing stages, when Chun-Yi broke away with three straight points to take a 19-16 lead. Srikanth's unforced errors proved costly, allowing Chun-Yi to seal the victory 21-18.Srikanth's exit marked the end of India's challenge at the Swiss Open. Priyanshu Rajawat and Kiran George bowed out in the quarterfinals, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also failed to progress. PV Sindhu's campaign ended in the second round of the women's singles.Despite the setback, Srikanth's performance at the Swiss Open was a testament to his enduring quality. The former world number one remains a formidable force on the international circuit and will be determined to bounce back stronger in future tournaments.

Star Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has emerged as the lone Indian survivor at the Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament, advancing to the semifinals with a convincing straight-game victory over Chinese Taipei's Chia Hao Lee in Basel.Srikanth, who has been struggling for form this season, finally found his rhythm in the quarterfinals, dominating Lee 21-10, 21-14 in just 35 minutes. This marks his first semifinal appearance in 16 months, since the Hylo Open in November 2022.The 2021 world championships silver medalist will now face Chinese Taipei's world no. 22 Lin Chun-Yi in the semifinals on Saturday.Meanwhile, Kiran George's valiant effort came to a heartbreaking end in the quarterfinals, as he narrowly lost to Denmark's Rasmus Gemke 23-21, 17-21, 15-21. Another promising Indian, Priyanshu Rajawat, also bowed out in the quarterfinals, falling to Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei 15-21, 19-21.Srikanth's victory is a much-needed boost for Indian badminton, which has been facing a slump in recent months. The shuttler will be hoping to continue his momentum and secure a spot in the final, where he could potentially face world no. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has unveiled the draws for the prestigious Thomas Cup and Uber Cup, scheduled to take place from April 28 to May 5, 2024. Defending Thomas Cup champion India has been placed in Group C alongside 14-time winner Indonesia, Thailand, and England.In the Uber Cup, India has been drawn into Group A with 15-time champion China, Canada, and Singapore. India's best performance in the Uber Cup remains the bronze medals they secured in 2014 and 2016.Last year, India made history by defeating Indonesia 3-0 in the Thomas Cup final, claiming their maiden title. The tournament, which began in 1949, is the pinnacle of men's badminton competition.India's Thomas Cup group will be a challenging one, with Indonesia seeking revenge for their defeat in the previous edition. Thailand and England are also formidable opponents, making Group C one of the most competitive.In the Uber Cup, India will face a daunting task against China, who have dominated the competition for years. Canada and Singapore will provide additional challenges, but India will need to be at their best to advance from the group stage.The draws were announced by BWF on Twitter, with the organization stating, "Thomas Cup Group C: Indonesia, India, Thailand, England." The Badminton Association of India (BAI) also tweeted the Uber Cup draw, stating, "Draw - BWF Uber Cup Finals 2024 #TeamIndia has been drawn in Group A. Group A: China, India, Canada, Singapore #ThomasUberCupFinals."India's goal will be to defend their Thomas Cup title and improve upon their Uber Cup performance. The team will be led by star shuttlers such as Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and P.V. Sindhu, who will be eager to make their mark on the international stage.

Indian paddler G. Sathiyan has etched his name in history by becoming the first Indian to clinch a men's singles title at a WTT Feeder Series event. In a thrilling final at the WTT Feeder Beirut 2024, Sathiyan overcame compatriot Manav Thakkar 3-1 (6-11 11-7 11-7 11-4) to secure the coveted trophy.Sathiyan's path to the final was not without its challenges. Seeded No. 11, he faced stiff competition from No. 5 seed Harmeet Desai and top seed Chuang Chih-Yuan, both of whom he defeated in hard-fought matches. However, it was the final against Thakkar that will remain etched in Sathiyan's memory.Despite losing the first game, Sathiyan displayed remarkable resilience and determination to turn the match in his favor. He dominated the next three games, showcasing his exceptional skills and tactical prowess. This victory marks Sathiyan's first men's singles success at a WTT event and his first singles title at an international ranking event since the ITTF Czech International Open 2021.In the women's singles, Xia Lian Ni continued her impressive form by capturing her second WTT Feeder title. The 60-year-old age-defying star outplayed Suh Hyo Won in straight games (11-9 11-5 11-5) to claim the trophy. Ni's victory is a testament to her unwavering dedication and exceptional talent.The Indian pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah narrowly missed out on the men's doubles title, losing to the Cuban duo of Andy Pereira and Jorge Campos in a closely contested match (11-5, 7-11 11-13 12-14). However, India did secure a mixed doubles title as Diya Chitale and Manush Shah defeated Manav and Archana Kamath 3-1 (11-6 10-12 11-6 11-6).Sathiyan's historic triumph and the strong performances of other Indian paddlers at the WTT Feeder Beirut 2024 are a testament to the growing strength of Indian table tennis. These achievements will undoubtedly inspire future generations of Indian paddlers to strive for excellence on the international stage.