Post by : Maya Rahman

Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen delivered an impressive performance at the Hylo Open Super 500 tournament in Saarbrucken, Germany. On Wednesday, he defeated fifth seed Christo Popov of France in straight games, winning 21-16, 22-20 in the opening round. The victory saw Lakshya, a bronze medallist at the 2021 World Championships, advance to the pre-quarterfinals with confidence and control.

Lakshya Sen’s recent form has been remarkable. After reaching the final of the Hong Kong Open earlier this season, he has carried that momentum into the Hylo Open. His win over Popov — a higher-ranked and experienced opponent — showed his composure and tactical skill on court. Throughout the match, Lakshya maintained a steady rhythm, using his quick movement and sharp net play to stay ahead.

In the next round, Lakshya will face fellow Indian shuttler S. Sankar Muthusamy Subramanian in what promises to be a thrilling all-Indian encounter. Sankar Muthusamy reached the pre-quarterfinals after a hard-fought victory over Malaysia’s Jun Hao Leong, winning 21-14, 18-21, 21-16. The upcoming clash between the two Indians will test both players’ consistency and mental strength, as they look to advance deeper into the tournament.

While Lakshya Sen and Sankar Muthusamy celebrated victories, it was a disappointing day for Kidambi Srikanth. The experienced Indian shuttler lost to compatriot Kiran George in straight games, 19-21, 11-21, in the men’s singles first round. Srikanth struggled to find his rhythm against the fast and accurate play of George, who displayed confidence and precision throughout the match.

With his win over Srikanth, Kiran George advanced to the next round, where he will face France’s eighth seed Toma Junior Popov. Popov narrowly defeated England’s Harry Huang 21-17, 19-21, 21-19 in his opening match. The upcoming contest between George and Popov is expected to be a close battle, as both players have shown strong fighting spirit early in the tournament.

India also enjoyed success in the women’s singles category. Unseeded Shriyanshi Valishetty produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by defeating Denmark’s third seed Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-19, 21-12 in just 33 minutes. Valishetty showed exceptional control and attacking play, maintaining the upper hand from start to finish.

Young Indian shuttler Rakshitha Santhosh Ramraj also moved into the round of 16 with a straight-games win over Spain’s Clara Azurmendi, taking the match 21-14, 21-16. Her composed performance ensured another strong Indian presence in the women’s singles draw. Rakshitha’s consistent play and quick reflexes helped her dominate rallies and close out the match efficiently.

The second round will see an all-Indian showdown between Shriyanshi Valishetty and Rakshitha Santhosh Ramraj. Both players will be eager to continue their fine form and secure a place in the quarterfinals. Their meeting guarantees at least one Indian spot in the last eight, underlining India’s growing strength in women’s badminton.

Another promising Indian shuttler, Anmol Kharb, displayed great determination but fell short in her opening match. She lost 24-26, 21-23 to Denmark’s eighth seed Julie Dawall Jakobsen in a tightly contested game. Despite the loss, Anmol’s fighting spirit and resilience were evident as she pushed her higher-ranked opponent to the limit in both games.

With multiple Indian players advancing to the pre-quarterfinals in both the men’s and women’s categories, the Hylo Open has highlighted the depth of India’s badminton talent. Lakshya Sen’s commanding win over a top-seeded opponent sets the tone for the Indian contingent, while young players like Rakshitha and Valishetty are proving that the future of Indian badminton is bright.

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