India’s badminton contingent saw mixed fortunes at the Hylo Open 2024 on Wednesday, with standout performances from Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Ayush Shetty propelling them into the tournament’s second round.
In a thrilling first-round men’s singles match, seventh-seed Sathish Kumar overcame compatriot Chirag Sen in a closely contested three-game battle, prevailing 20-22, 24-22, 21-17 in just over an hour.
Despite losing the opening game and facing a match point in the second, the 23-year-old displayed resilience to keep his tournament hopes alive. A crucial eight-point streak in the decider helped him secure victory and set up a round-of-16 clash with England’s Harry Huang, who earlier defeated former junior world No. 1 Sankar Subramanian.
Ayush Shetty also shone on the court, defeating Finland’s Joakim Oldorff in straight games, 21-12, 21-17. The 19-year-old, who claimed a bronze at last year’s Junior World Championships, looked solid throughout the match and will next face Italy’s Giovanni Toti in his pursuit of a spot in the quarterfinals.
However, not all of India’s representatives were able to progress. Tharun Mannepalli was narrowly edged out by Austria’s Collins Valentine Filimon, falling 21-19, 21-19. In the women’s singles, qualifier Keyura Mopati struggled against Denmark’s Anna Siess Ryberg, succumbing 21-8, 21-12.
Sathish Kumar also competed in mixed doubles with partner Aadya Variyath later in the day. The fourth-seeded Indian pair overcame Scotland’s Adam Pringle and Rachel Andrew in a three-game showdown, rallying from a first-game loss to win 21-14, 11-21, 13-21 and advance further in the doubles draw.
Top Indian women’s singles player Malvika Bansod, seeded sixth, is scheduled to face Denmark’s Irina Amalie Andersen in the round of 16 on Thursday, adding another hopeful for India in the tournament.
Notably absent from the Hylo Open 2024 are Indian badminton stars Lakshya Sen, who last won the title in 2019, and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu. Their absence opens up opportunities for India’s emerging talents, who are seizing the chance to make their mark on the BWF Super 300 stage.
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