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HS Prannoy, PV Sindhu, and Kidambi Srikanth cruised into the singles pre-quarterfinals, registering emphatic straight-game victories over their adversaries during Tuesday's badminton bouts at the Asian Games 2023.
Having recently recovered from a back injury that kept him out of the men's team championships final against China, World no. 7, Prannoy, exhibited top-tier gameplay. He effortlessly dispatched Mongolia's Batdavaa Munkhbat with scores of 21-9 and 21-12, wrapping up the match in a swift 25 minutes. His next challenge lies in Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Panarin.
On another court, Srikanth asserted his dominance with a convincing 21-16 21-11 triumph over Korea's Lee Yun Gyu. His victory has paved the way for an anticipated face-off against Japan's second seed, Kodai Naruka. Former world champion, Sindhu, exhibited her trademark agility and skill, prevailing 21-10 21-15 against world no. 21 We Chi Hsu from Chinese Taipei. Notably, their recent encounter was at the Asia Badminton Championships in Dubai earlier this month. Sindhu's path now intersects with Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani.
However, the journey concluded for Ashmita Chaliha, who endured a 17-21 16-21 defeat against Indonesia's world no. 7, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, in a match that spanned 35 minutes. Interestingly, both players had previously been granted byes in their initial matches.
In the doubles realm, World no. 17 duo, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, kickstarted their campaign on a high note, securing a 21-14 21-12 victory against Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq and Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq. Their next challenge will be against the formidable third-seeded Korean duo of Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong.
Adding another feather to India's cap, the women's doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa, who clinched their maiden International Challenge title in France in June this year, advanced to the second round. Their journey was made slightly easier when their Maldives opponents, Maisa Fathuhulla Ismail and Aishath Afnaan Rasheed, withdrew after trailing 2-21 2-12 in the primary match. Awaiting Crasto and Ponnappa in the next round are China's formidable pair, Zhang Shu Xian and Zheng Yu.
Diving deeper into Sindhu's performance, the ace shuttler showcased her dominance early on, leading 7-5 in the first game. Adopting a strategy centered around minimizing errors and engaging in long rallies, she swiftly secured an 11-6 and subsequently, a 15-6 lead. Her finesse was evident as she navigated the match, eventually sealing her victory with her opponent's long shot.
Meanwhile, Srikanth exhibited brilliance right from the outset, maintaining an 11-8 lead midway through the first game. Combining aggressive offense with impenetrable defense, he extended his lead, closing the game when Lee's shot fell beyond the boundary. In the second game, his dominant performance continued, culminating in a triumphant victory.
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