India’s run at the Macau Open came to a close on Saturday after Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli bowed out in the men’s singles semifinals of the BWF World Tour Super 300 event. Both players were featuring in their first semifinal appearances of the season, with Tharun also marking the best performance of his career so far.
Second seed Lakshya, ranked World No. 13, was beaten comprehensively by Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan, the fifth seed, who secured a 21-16, 21-9 win in just 39 minutes. Farhan, currently World No. 25 and the 2023 World Junior Champion, showed his class with a commanding display. He never allowed Lakshya to find rhythm, using pace and sharp net play to dictate the contest. Farhan’s triumph also underscored his growing reputation after being part of Indonesia’s bronze-medal-winning Sudirman Cup squad.
Tharun, meanwhile, put up a spirited fight before falling to Malaysia’s Justin Hoh 19-21, 21-16, 21-16 in a tense encounter that lasted an hour and 21 minutes. The 23-year-old Indian, ranked World No. 47, started brightly, racing to an 11-6 lead in the opening game. Though Hoh closed the gap late, Tharun kept his composure to seal the opener 21-19.
The Malaysian, however, struck back in the second game. Despite Tharun staying close at 16-17, Hoh reeled off four straight points to push the match into a decider. In the third, Tharun struggled to adjust to the drift and slipped from 9-9 to 9-16, a seven-point run that proved decisive. Hoh maintained his advantage to reach his first-ever BWF World Tour final, leaving Tharun just short of a breakthrough result.
For Indian badminton, the semifinal appearances of both Lakshya and Tharun marked a positive step. Lakshya reaffirmed his position among the top tier of players, while Tharun’s deep run provided a glimpse of his potential to challenge on the international stage.
With their exits, India’s campaign at the Macau Open concluded without a finalist, but with encouraging signs for the future. Both players will look to build on these performances as the season progresses, especially with Olympic qualification points and higher-level tournaments on the horizon.
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