Denmark Open: Sindhu and Sen suffer shock first-round exits
Major upsets at the Denmark Open as PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen suffer early exits, while Kidambi Srikanth advances to the second round.
It was a day of mixed fortunes for the Indian badminton contingent at the BWF Super 750 Denmark Open. The tournament saw major setbacks as star players PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen were knocked out in their opening matches, while former world number one Kidambi Srikanth provided a glimmer of hope by advancing to the second round.
Sindhu falls in three-set thriller
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu endured a heartbreaking defeat at the SJF Bank Arena. Facing Germany's Yvonne Li, ranked 50th in the world, Sindhu struggled to maintain her momentum in a grueling three-game battle. The final score read 13-21, 25-23, 21-19 in favor of Li.
The match was a rollercoaster of emotions. Sindhu dominated the first game, but Li staged a massive comeback in the second, even as the Indian star saved five game points. The third game saw Sindhu in a commanding position, leading 12-7 and later 19-15. However, in a stunning turn of events, Li unleashed a decisive six-point winning streak to snatch the victory. Notably, this loss marks Sindhu's first defeat against Li in their four previous encounters.
The result sets up an intriguing clash for the next round, as Yvonne Li will now face fellow Indian Tanvi Sharma. Sharma showed immense grit to secure her spot after defeating Japan's Natsuki Nidaira 21-17, 16-21, 21-19.
Lakshya Sen struggles against Chou Tien-chen
Lakshya Sen's campaign also came to an abrupt end. He faced a tough test against the world No. 3 and sixth seed, Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, eventually losing 21-18, 13-21, 21-15. This defeat marks a challenging period for Sen, representing his fifth first-round exit in his last six BWF World Tour tournaments.
The match was closely contested. Sen held an 18-15 lead in the opening game, but Chou rallied with six consecutive points to take the set. Sen fought back brilliantly in the second game, building an 11-6 lead to force a decider. However, Chou's experience shone through in the final game, where he maintained control to seal the win. This victory for Chou also brings his head-to-head record against Sen to 5-5.
Srikanth keeps Indian hopes alive
Amidst the early exits, Kidambi Srikanth emerged as the bright spot for India in the men's singles category. The 2017 Denmark Open champion displayed his class by defeating France's Arnaud Merklé in straight games, 22-20, 21-19, to progress to the second round.
What's next for India?
While the singles campaign has seen some turbulence, India's doubles specialists are set to take the court. Fans can look forward to seeing:
- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the men's doubles.
- Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand in the women's doubles.
The doubles action is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.