India Open badminton tournament: Lakshya Sen makes winning start; Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand pair also shines

NEW DELHI: India’s ace shuttler Lakshya Sen began his India Open Super 750 campaign on a strong note on Tuesday. He moved into the second round with a comfortable straight-game win over fellow Indian Ayush Shetty. The match was played at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Lakshya, the 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, was in control from the start. He defeated the 20-year-old Ayush 21-12, 21-15. Ayush was playing his first match at the Super 750 level and found it tough against the experienced campaigner.



After the match, Lakshya spoke about the conditions and the challenge ahead.

“I didn't expect it to be too tricky, but I think it will get better from the second round,” Lakshya said.

He also spoke about adapting to the new hall.

“We thought the hall was big, so the shuttle might travel a little bit slower, but I think it was quick, and also there was a little bit drift or sideways, but I think again, first round it's always we have to adapt to the situations.”

Lakshya praised his opponent and said he was staying focused.

“He's a really, really good opponent, and I had to come really prepared for the match. I'm just taking one match at a time, so I'm not thinking, I think, too wide, just focusing on the next match.”

In the opening game, Lakshya dominated early at the net. He raced to a 17-6 lead. Ayush tried to fight back and won a few points in a row, but Lakshya closed the game without trouble. The second game was more competitive. Ayush started well and led early. Lakshya soon found his rhythm. He tightened his shots and forced errors. He pulled ahead late and sealed the match with a strong winner.

Lakshya will next face Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. Nishimoto advanced after his compatriot Kodai Naraoka retired mid-match.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also started well. The Indian pair won 21-15, 21-11 against Thailand’s Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai. They will now play China’s seventh-seeded pair Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min.

In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun won their first-round match against Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin. They will face China’s fourth seeds next. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty moved into the next round after receiving a walkover.

Lakshya also spoke about planning his season carefully.

“I think we have big tournaments coming up this year, so I think it will be important to maintain a good ranking but also peak at the right time for the big ones,” he said.

“So just I think in the training plan for the year or the tournament plans I think we have made it skipped a few tournaments also to get a good practice so that towards the end when we have big tournaments like Asian games and world championship coming up so we are better prepared for those ones.”

Elsewhere, men’s singles fourth seed Chou Tien Chen and French sixth seed Alex Lanier were knocked out on the opening day.

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