New Delhi, January 16: It has been a frustrating week for the home crowd at the India Open Super 750 at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. With most of India’s top shuttlers exiting early, Lakshya Sen stands as the lone flag-bearer in the men’s singles, carrying the nation’s hopes into the quarterfinals.
Sen’s Resilient Run
Sen showcased nerves of steel in his last-16 clash against Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. Trailing 11–16 and 14–18 in the opening game, the Indian star switched tactics with longer lifts and solid defense, winning five consecutive points to take the first game 21–19, before cruising to a 21–10 victory in the second. He now faces Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi on Friday for a semifinal spot, with momentum firmly on his side.
Other Top Stars Bow Out
The tournament witnessed shocking early exits across the Indian contingent:
HS Prannoy: Pushed eighth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore but lost 18–21, 21–19, 21–14. The match was twice halted due to bird droppings on the court, following a monkey sighting in the stands, raising questions about safety and animal control at the complex.
Kidambi Srikanth: Fell 21–14, 17–21, 21–17 to France’s Christo Popov, the reigning World Tour Finals champion.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy & Chirag Shetty: India’s top men’s doubles pair and title favourites were ousted after a heartbreaking 27–25, 21–23, 19–21 loss to Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa & Kyohei Yamashita.
P.V. Sindhu: Exited in the opening round after losing 22–20, 21–12, 21–15 to Vietnam’s Thuy Linh Nguyen, struggling to adjust to the arena’s conditions.
Teenager Tanvi Sharma impressed in her debut, pushing world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi to three games, though ultimately falling short.
Looking Ahead
With the World Championships also scheduled at the same venue in August 2026, Indian shuttlers will aim to adapt quickly and make a strong showing on home soil.
Source: BWF
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