Indian badminton veteran HS Prannoy sailed into the quarterfinals of the Australia Open with a commanding victory over Israel’s Misha Zilberman in the men’s singles second round match on Thursday. Prannoy, a former world No. 1 and the fifth seed in this tournament, needed just 46 minutes to dispatch Zilberman with scores of 21-17, 21-15. He is set to face a tougher challenge in the quarterfinals against Japan’s second seed Kodai Naroaka.
Prannoy’s advancement was a rare bright spot for Indian shuttlers on a day of mixed outcomes. Kiran George’s campaign in the men’s singles came to an abrupt end as he fell to Japan’s seventh seed Kenta Nishimoto, losing 20-22, 6-21. Later in the day, Sameer Verma is scheduled to take on Singapore’s eighth seed Loh Kean Yew in another men’s singles match, hoping to turn the tide in favor of India.
In the women’s singles, eighth seed Aakarshi Kashyap provided some cheer by defeating Australia’s Kai Qi Bernice Teoh 21-16, 21-13 to secure her place in the quarterfinals. Kashyap will face a formidable opponent next, taking on third seed Yu Po Pai of Chinese Taipei.
However, the tournament ended prematurely for other Indian women shuttlers. Anupama Upadhyaya lost to Indonesia’s sixth seed Putri Kusuma Wardani 11-21, 18-21, while Malvika Bansod was edged out by another Indonesian, eighth seed Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo, with scores of 17-21, 21-23.
The Indian women’s doubles pair of Rutaparna and Swetaparna Panda also faced disappointment, bowing out to Malaysia’s Pei Jing Lai and Chiew Sien Lim 5-21, 9-21.
The mixed doubles event saw some success for India as the eighth-seeded pair of B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy continued their strong run, defeating Australia’s Kai Chen Teoh and Kai Qi Bernice Teoh 21-11, 21-11 to reach the quarterfinals. However, their next match poses a significant challenge as they are set to face the top-seeded Chinese duo, Zhen Bang Jiang and Ya Xin Wei.
Reflecting on the performances, Prannoy’s progress is particularly noteworthy as he continues to demonstrate his resilience and skill on the international stage. His upcoming match against Naroaka will be critical, as overcoming the second seed could pave the way for a deep run in the tournament.
On the other hand, Kiran George’s defeat underscores the challenges faced by emerging players against more seasoned opponents. Sameer Verma’s upcoming match against Loh Kean Yew will be closely watched, with hopes that he can pull off an upset to balance the day’s mixed outcomes for India.
Aakarshi Kashyap’s entry into the quarterfinals injects some optimism into the Indian camp. Her match against Yu Po Pai will test her mettle and provide a gauge of her current form against top-tier competition. Despite the setbacks faced by Anupama Upadhyaya and Malvika Bansod, their matches provided valuable experience against higher-ranked opponents.
The Panda sisters’ early exit in the doubles event was disappointing, but the continuing journey of Sumeeth and Sikki Reddy in the mixed doubles offers a silver lining. Their performance against the top seeds will be pivotal, potentially marking a significant achievement for Indian badminton in the tournament.
As the Australia Open progresses, Indian shuttlers will aim to overcome these mixed fortunes and capitalize on the opportunities ahead, with eyes particularly set on Prannoy and the mixed doubles pair to deliver standout performances.
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