Bad News for India: Srikanth and Prannoy Exit Arctic Open Early
Major setback for India as Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy suffer first-round exits at the Arctic Open 2026 in Finland.
It was a bruising start for the Indian badminton contingent at the Arctic Open 2026 in Vantaa, Finland. Two of the nation's most prominent names, Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy, saw their campaigns come to an abrupt end in the opening round of the men's singles event on Wednesday.
Srikanth Fails to Hold Lead in Three-Game Thriller
World No. 31 Kidambi Srikanth faced off against Canada's Brian Yang, ranked 34th in the world. The match began with promise for the Indian veteran, as Srikanth displayed sharp form to clinch the opening game. However, the momentum shifted drastically in the subsequent sets. Yang took control of the court, leaving Srikanth unable to recover. The final scoreline read 15-21, 21-15, and 21-13 in favor of the Canadian.
Prannoy Overpowered by Danish Seed
HS Prannoy, currently ranked 38th globally, faced a daunting task against Denmark’s fourth-seeded Anders Antonsen. The match proved to be a one-sided affair, with the Dane dominating the rallies and leaving Prannoy with little room to breathe. Prannoy struggled to find his rhythm and was defeated convincingly with scores of 21-10 and 21-9.
Silver Lining: Men's Doubles Upset
While the singles campaign hit a stumbling block, the Indian men's doubles pair provided a massive boost to the team's morale. Unseeded duo Krishna Prasad Garaga and Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy pulled off a stunning upset against the fifth-seeded Chinese pair, He Ji Ting and Ren Xiang Yu. After dropping the first game 10-21, the Indians fought back with incredible grit to win 21-18 and 22-20 in a 61-minute battle, securing their spot in the round of 16.
Tharun Mannepalli Keeps Hopes Alive
In other singles action, Tharun Mannepalli emerged as a bright spot for India. Having fought his way through the qualifiers, Mannepalli delivered a clinical performance against Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen. He secured a straight-game victory, winning 21-16 and 21-14, to advance to the second round. His next challenge will be a tough encounter against France's second-seeded Christo Popov.
Mixed Results for Qualifiers and Women's Draw
The day was not entirely easy for the qualifiers. Rounak Chouhan, who also fought through the qualifying rounds, narrowly missed out on a second-round berth. Despite a spirited comeback after losing the first game, he eventually fell to China's Weng Hong Yang in a nail-biting decider, 22-20, 20-22, 21-17.
Looking ahead, the spotlight shifts to the women's singles as the tournament progresses. Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Tanvi Sharma are scheduled to begin their campaigns in the second round on Thursday. Sindhu, the sixth seed, will take on Japan's Riko Gunji, while Tanvi faces a heavyweight clash against Thailand's top seed and former world champion, Ratchanok Intanon.