Tokyo (Japan): Last edition's runner-up Kidambi Srikanth, bronze medallist Lakshya Sen and Thomas Cup star HS Prannoy kept the Indian flag flying but B. Sai Praneeth and Malvika Bansod's campaigns came to an end in the BWF Badminton World Championships here on Monday.
Srikanth and Sen, who met in the semifinals of the 2021 edition, and Prannoy won their matches in straight games. Overall, it was a mixed day for India as Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy advanced in women's doubles while M.R. Arjun and Dhruv Kapila made it to the second round in men's doubles.
The mixed doubles pair of Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Crasto too advanced, beating the German pair of Patrick Scheiel and Franziska Volkmann 21-12, 21-13 in 29 minutes. Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy, however, lost to the Japanese pair of Hiroki Okamura and Masayuki Onodera 11-21, 21-19,15-21. However, Sen and Srikanth made a superb start in men's singles, scoring comprehensive wins in their opening match.
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Sen, the 21-year-old from Uttarakhand, seeded ninth, started with a straight games win over Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus, overcoming the World No. 19 from Denmark 21-12, 21-11 in a match that lasted 35 minutes. He will next face Spaniard Luis Penalver in the round of 32.
Srikanth, the former world No.1, defeated Irishman Nhat Nguyen 22-20, 21-19 in a 51-minute encounter. The Indian shuttler will take on talented Chinese youngster Zhao Jun Peng in the next round. Prannoy joined his two compatriots in the men's singles round of 32 after beating Luka Wraber of Austria 21-12, 21-11. Home favourite and former two-time world champion Kento Momota will be his next opponent.
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Things did not go well for Sai Praneeth as the player from Telangana lost to fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in three games. Sai Praneeth came back after losing the first game but could not maintain the tempo in the decider and went down 15-21,21-15, 15-21 in just over one hour.
Malvika Bansod lost her opening round match against Line Christophersen of Denmark in straight games, losing 21-11, 21-18. The women's doubles pair of Ashwini and Sikki overcame the Maldives pair of Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq and Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq in straight games,21-7, 21-9. M.R Arjun Dhruv Kapila made it to the second round in men's doubles, beating the Thailand pair of Supak Jomkoh and Kittinupong Kedren 21-17,17-21, 22-20.
