For the first time since July 2023, PV Sindhu and Akane Yamaguchi – two familiar enemies who are part of the golden generation of women who are trying to continue the fight – will face each other on Thursday at the Badminton Asia Championship. This will be a 26th meeting of his decorated career, but at a time when Sindhu is still trying to find her rhythm on the tour.
Even the World No 4 Yamaguchi, one of the players once on a once tour, is not very active this year, last month only in All England started its season. It is a match-up that Sindhu enjoyed in the past, won 14 out of his 25 matches, and in the second round in Ningbo, the Indian will make a statement that he is still able to pursue the top 5 on his day.
In the first round on Wednesday, Sindhu ensured that she did not grow too much by Ester Wardoyo in Indonesia, as she wins 21–15, 21–19. In recent times, one of the challenges of Sindhu has a synergy with many people who run fast in court, harassing Indian experienced with slices and drops. Sindhu, however, began in a good tempo and stuck to an attacker style against wardoys on a large scale, even when the rallies went long.
Wardoyo threatened to take the match in the judge and would have physically bad news for Sindhu, given a quick change, but former world champions managed to wrap it in two matches. Sindhu is the last female single player who is standing after the defeat for Nirashi Kashyap, Malvika Banansod and Anupama Upadhyay.
In the men’s singles, Priyanshu Rajwa came back after leaving the initial game against Thailand’s Kantafon Vangacharon 20-22, 21-12, 21-10, while Kiran George easily overtook Kazakhstan’s Dimitri Panrein 21–16, 21–8. Both George and Rajawat will face difficult tests against the final of the 2023 World Championships in the next round. While George takes Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsaran, Rajawat has played the role of Kodai Naroka of Japan.
End of road
However, it was the end of the road for India’s top two as HS Pranoy and Laxman Sen bowed down. While HS Pranoy was usually a gritty against China’s Lu Guang Zu, he went below 16–21, 21–12, 11-21. Lakshman’s discrepancies keep harassing him with Li Chia Hao 18-21, 10-21, losing directly in sports. The Chinese Taipei shuttler is in good form, recently reached the final of All England, but Laxman’s performance in the second game left a lot to be desired as he barely fought even after a competition in the initial game.
In the men’s doubles, Hariharan Amasakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rathinasbapati defeated Sri Lanka’s Madhuka Duljana and Lahiru Versinghe and fought against former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wui Yik.
© The Indian Express Private Limited
