Bangkok:India witnessed mixed fortunes at the Thailand Open badminton tournament on Wednesday as P. V. Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth progressed to the round of 16 with commanding victories, while Ayush Shetty suffered an early exit in Bangkok.
Former world No. 1 Srikanth delivered one of his most impressive performances in recent months by defeating Singapore’s eighth seed Loh Kean Yew 21-14, 21-15 in just 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu comfortably overcame Chinese Taipei’s Tung Ciou-Tong in straight games to continue her campaign in the tournament.
Srikanth dominates Loh Kean Yew
The match between Srikanth and Loh Kean Yew was seen as a high-profile rematch of the 2021 BWF World Championships final.
Ranked 29th in the world, Srikanth looked sharp from the opening rally and controlled the pace of the match throughout. He consistently applied pressure with aggressive shot-making and prevented the Singaporean from settling into any rhythm.
Srikanth wrapped up the opening game 21-14 and maintained his dominance in the second game despite a brief fightback from Loh late in the contest.
The Indian shuttler eventually sealed a convincing 21-15 victory to advance comfortably into the next round.
The 2013 Thailand Open champion will now face Chinese Taipei’s Su Li Yang in the round of 16.
The win is expected to boost Srikanth’s confidence as he attempts to regain consistency on the international circuit.
Sindhu cruises into second round
Sixth-seeded P V Sindhu also advanced without facing major resistance.
The Indian star defeated Tung Ciou-Tong 21-9, 21-12 in a one-sided contest lasting just 33 minutes.
Sindhu controlled proceedings from the start with her attacking play and superior court coverage, leaving little opportunity for her opponent to challenge her momentum.
The victory sets up a round of 16 clash against Denmark’s Amalie Schulz.
Sindhu is currently aiming to secure her first BWF World Tour title since winning the Syed Modi International in 2024.
Her strong start in Bangkok has raised hopes of a deep run in the tournament.
Devika Sihag secures breakthrough win
India also celebrated a significant achievement through young shuttler Devika Sihag.
The 21-year-old registered her maiden Super 500-level victory after defeating Japan’s Natsuki Nidaira in a hard-fought three-game encounter.
Devika won the opening game 21-19 before dropping the second 13-21. However, she recovered strongly to take the deciding game 21-15.
The match lasted one hour and 11 minutes and marked an important milestone in the young player’s international career.
Ayush Shetty exits after tough battle
India’s campaign, however, suffered setbacks in the men’s singles category.
Ayush Shetty fought hard against Japan’s sixth seed Kodai Naraoka but eventually lost in three games.
The Badminton Asia Championships silver medallist lost the opening game 13-21 before producing a strong comeback to win the second game 21-17.
However, Naraoka dominated the decider and closed out the match 21-13, 17-21, 21-4 in 59 minutes.
India’s challenge also ended for Tharun Mannepalli, who lost 12-21, 16-21 to Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Young Indian players show promise
Teenage Indian players Unnati Hooda and Anmol Kharb impressed despite losing against higher-ranked opponents.
Unnati won the opening game against Thailand’s fourth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong before eventually losing 11-21, 21-17, 21-16.
Anmol Kharb came close to causing a major upset against reigning champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Chen Yu Fei.
The 19-year-old led 11-2 in the deciding game before the experienced Chinese player staged a remarkable comeback to win 19-21, 21-13, 21-18.
Later in the tournament, Indian players Lakshya Sen, Tanvi Sharma, Malvika Bansod, and Isharani Baruah were scheduled to begin their singles campaigns.