Indian badminton witnessed a disheartening day as three prominent players Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and Priyanshu Rajawat faced defeats in their respective first-round matches during the China Masters on November 22. This marked a forgettable day for India in the Super 750 tournament held in China.
Lakshya entered the first-round match with high expectations, but he couldn't overcome the challenge posed by the Chinese seventh seed, Shi Yu Qi. The closely contested match saw the Indian player putting up a valiant fight before ultimately succumbing, with scores of 19-21, and 18-21. The battle lasted nearly an hour.
Srikanth faced a tough challenge against Thailand's fourth-seeded Kunlavut Vitidsarn. Despite winning the second game, Srikanth struggled to sustain his momentum, resulting in a loss with scores of 15-21, 21-14, 13-21.
Priyanshu, the third member of the Indian trio, also experienced defeat. His match against Japan's Kenta Nishimoto concluded in straight games, with scores of 17-21, 14-21, in a contest lasting 46 minutes.
The departures of Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and Priyanshu Rajawat from the China Masters were particularly noteworthy, given that they were among India's leading contenders in the tournament. Their early exits dealt a significant blow to the country's aspirations of clinching titles at this prestigious event.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and HS Prannoy secured victories in their respective first-round matches at Shenzhen in China on November 21. However, young Akarshi Kashyap faced an early elimination, experiencing a loss in the women's singles first round on the same day.
Akarshi's departure was especially disheartening for Indian fans, as she stood as the sole representative for India at the Super 750 tournament in China. The absence of PV Sindhu from the tournament was notable, as she has been on a hiatus from the sport, focusing on her recovery from a knee injury. Sindhu is presently undergoing training under the guidance of the legendary Prakash Padukone.
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