Indian badminton had a strong showing at the China Open in Changzhou as young shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a major upset. He knocked out world No. 11 Alwi Farhan in straight games. At the same time, double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and India's No. 1 men's singles player Lakshya Sen also won their first-round matches to move into the second round.
Ayush Shetty's Stunning Victory Over World No. 11
Ayush Shetty produced a brilliant performance to defeat Alwi Farhan, who is ranked world No. 11. The young Indian won the match with a score of 21-12, 21-17. According to Facebook, Ayush has now joined Lakshya Sen in the pre-quarterfinals. He will face a tough challenge next as he takes on World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China.
PV Sindhu Battles Past Teenage Rival Unnati Hooda
PV Sindhu, who recently ended a two-year title drought by winning the Japan Open, had to work hard to beat her 18-year-old compatriot Unnati Hooda. The match lasted 56 minutes. Sindhu won the first game 21-14 but lost the second 9-21. She came back strongly in the third game to win 21-10 and secure her place in the second round.
Lakshya Sen Wins Hard-Fought Match Against Yushi Tanaka
India's top men's singles player Lakshya Sen also advanced to the next round. He faced Japan's world No. 19 Yushi Tanaka in a match that lasted 53 minutes. Lakshya won the first game 22-20 but lost the second 15-21. He showed his class in the deciding game, winning it 21-14. Lakshya will now face eighth seed Victor Lai of Canada in the pre-quarterfinals. Victor Lai is ranked world No. 8.
Our Take: Indian Badminton Shows Promising Depth
This is an encouraging sign for Indian badminton. While PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen are established stars, Ayush Shetty's win over a top-15 player shows that the next generation is ready to step up. Beating a world No. 11 in straight games is no small feat. However, Ayush's next match against world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi will be a true test of his potential. For Sindhu, winning a tight three-game match so soon after her Japan Open victory shows she is in good form. Lakshya Sen's win was also gritty, but he will need to be more consistent against higher-ranked opponents like Victor Lai. Overall, it was a good day for Indian shuttlers at the China Open.
