Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen bowed out of the Arctic Open 2024 after a tough 1-2 defeat against Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen in the Round of 16 match held in Vantaa, Finland, on Thursday. Despite a strong start, winning the first game 21-19, Lakshya was unable to maintain momentum, losing the next two games 18-21, 15-21.
Lakshya had entered the second round after his first-round opponent, Rasmus Gemke of Denmark, gave a walkover. However, the defeat against Chou ended his campaign in Finland.
Compatriot Kiran George also suffered a defeat in the Round of 16, falling to World No. 5 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. George lost 17-21, 8-21, marking the end of his promising run after an impressive victory against World No. 25 Wang Tzu-wei of Chinese Taipei in the first round. George had battled past Wang in a hard-fought 23-21, 21-18 win that lasted 53 minutes.
The women’s singles saw a disappointing day for India as all three Indian players crashed out in the second round. Malvika Bansod lost 15-21, 8-21 to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon, while Unnati Hooda was narrowly defeated 10-21, 19-21 by Canada’s Michelle Li. Aakarshi Kashyap also fell short, losing 9-21, 8-21 to China’s Han Yue.
In mixed doubles, India’s Sathish Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath were defeated 12-21, 15-21 by China’s Cheng Xing and Zhang Chi, adding to the Indian contingent’s challenges at the tournament.
The women’s doubles pair of Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda also ended their campaign after a 8-21, 10-21 loss to China’s Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, marking the end of India’s run at the Arctic Open 2024.
The tournament saw a tough outing for Indian shuttlers, with many falling short in crucial rounds against higher-ranked opponents. Despite the losses, players like Lakshya Sen and Kiran George continue to gain valuable experience as they aim for stronger performances in future competitions.
