Kidambi Srikanth, Unnati Hooda Advance as Indian Contingent Makes Mixed Start at Taipei Open

India’s campaign at the Taipei Open Super 300 began with a blend of promising wins and early exits on Wednesday, as veteran Kidambi Srikanth and rising star Unnati Hooda moved into the second round with confident performances.

Former World No. 1 Srikanth, who has been battling a prolonged slump and currently sits at World No. 61, made a commanding start to his campaign with a 21-16, 21-15 victory over fellow Indian Sankar Subramanian. The 32-year-old showed glimpses of his trademark finesse and control, navigating the match efficiently to enter the second round. He will now face another compatriot, Ayush Shetty, in what promises to be an intriguing all-Indian clash.

Ayush, a 2023 World Junior Championships bronze medallist, pulled off one of the day’s biggest upsets by toppling third seed Lee Chia Hao of Chinese Taipei in straight games, 21-17, 21-18. The 50-minute battle underlined the teenager’s growing maturity and composure on the senior circuit.

India also found success in the men’s singles draw through Tharun Mannepalli, who overcame a stiff challenge from Japan’s Shogo Ogawa. In a 70-minute seesaw encounter, Tharun edged ahead 21-17, 19-21, 21-12 to book a second-round meeting with Indonesia’s Moh. Zaki Ubaidillah. Tharun, the 2023 National Games gold medallist, showcased resilience and tactical sharpness in the decider.

However, not all results favoured India. Meiraba Luwang Maisnam bowed out after a straight-game defeat to Canada’s Brian Yang, falling 21-23, 12-21 despite a close first set.

In women’s singles, 16-year-old Unnati Hooda continued to impress on the international stage. A two-time Super 100 winner, Unnati outplayed fellow Indian Anupama Upadhyaya 21-13, 21-17 to advance to the next round, where she will face Lin Sih Yun of Chinese Taipei. Unnati’s aggressive play and court coverage were key to her victory.

Meanwhile, Aakarshi Kashyap couldn’t find her rhythm and suffered a lopsided loss to Taipei’s Hung Yi-Ting, going down 9-21, 12-21.

Later in the day, Anmol Kharb and Rakshitha Sree Santhosh Ramraj were slated to begin their campaigns, as India looks to maintain its momentum through the early rounds of the tournament.