New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) Ace shuttler Lakshya Sen stormed into the second round of the India Open Super 750 with a dominant straight-game win over compatriot Ayush Shetty in the men’s singles opening round at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.
The 2021 World Championships bronze medallist asserted his superiority early to register a clinical 21-12, 21-15 victory over the 20-year-old Ayush, who was making his debut at the USD 950,000 event.
“I didn’t expect it to be too tricky, but I think it will get better from the second round,” Lakshya.
“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.
“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.” The 24-year-old from Almora will next face Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, who advanced after countryman and seventh seed Kodai Naraoka retired while trailing 6-21, 6-7 in another match.
In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who defended their title at the Syed Modi International last December, also made a positive start, notching up a 21-15, 21-11 win over Thailand’s Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai.
The Indian pair will now face seventh seeds Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min of China, who defeated USA’s Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai 21-12, 21-8.
In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun crossed the first hurdle with a 21-15, 21-18 win over Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin to set up a clash with fourth seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China.
India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, seeded third, also progressed without taking the court after receiving a walkover from USA’s Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith.
National women’s doubles championship finalists Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam saved five match points but failed to capitalise on the lone match point they earned, losing 21-11, 20-22, 24-22 to Hong Kong’s Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan in one hour and eight minutes.
In mixed doubles, Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K. went down 9-21, 10-21 to Japan’s Hiroki Midorikawa and Nami Matsuyama.
Lakshya vs Ayush ============ Lakshya’s early dominance at the net proved decisive, while Ayush struggled to play freely under sustained pressure, allowing the former to surge to a 17-6 lead in the opening game. Ayush mounted a brief resistance by winning six consecutive points, but Lakshya quickly regained control to pocket the first game.
Ayush began the second game with greater assurance, opening up a 5-1 lead. Lakshya fought back to make it 6-6, though Ayush held a narrow 11-10 advantage at the interval. After the resumption, Lakshya tightened his grip, moving to 17-14 as Ayush faltered with his length and committed a series of unforced errors.
Another push drifting long handed Lakshya six match points. Ayush saved one with a smash, but Lakshya sealed the contest with a decisive winner.
Talking about the season ahead, Lakshya said: “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.
“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.” Among other top players, men’s fourth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei and French sixth seed Alex Lanier were knocked out on the opening day. PTI ATK ATK AH AH
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