Kidambi Srikanth Exits Orleans Masters 2026 in First Round

In a disappointing turn of events, former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth was eliminated in the first round of the Orleans Masters 2026 by Denmark's Magnus Johannesen. Despite his early exit, several Indian players showcased impressive performances, with Ayush Shetty and Anmol Kharb advancing to the next round. Teenager Tanvi Sharma also made headlines by defeating second seed Supanida Katethong. However, not all Indian competitors found success, as some faced early defeats. Discover the full details of the matches and the future of Indian badminton in this article.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 19, 2026, 02:19 IST

Srikanth's Early Exit at Orleans Masters

Orleans [France], March 18: Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth faced an unfortunate first-round defeat at the Orleans Masters 2026, losing in straight sets to Denmark's Magnus Johannesen on Wednesday.

Currently ranked 30th globally, Srikanth began the match positively, establishing a 5-2 lead in the first game. However, Johannesen quickly regained control, leading 11-6 at the break before finishing the first game 21-12, as reported by Olympics.com.

The Danish player maintained his momentum in the second game, overcoming a brief resistance from Srikanth to score nine consecutive points, ultimately winning 21-10 in just 26 minutes.

While Srikanth's journey ended prematurely, several Indian players advanced to the next round with strong performances.

In men's singles, Ayush Shetty triumphed over fellow Indian Kiran George in a thrilling three-game match. After losing the first game 17-21, Shetty bounced back to win the next two games 21-10, 21-17, securing his place in the second round.

In the women's singles, Anmol Kharb achieved a decisive victory against Turkiye's Neslihan Arin, winning 21-12, 21-16. Malvika Bansod also moved forward after defeating Chinese Taipei's Sung Shuo-yun with scores of 21-18, 21-14.

Teenager Tanvi Sharma pulled off a significant upset by eliminating second seed Supanida Katethong, who retired during the second game with Sharma leading 21-18, 14-12.

However, not all Indian players had a successful day; Rakshitha Ramraj and Devika Sihag were eliminated in the first round after losing to Japan's Manami Suizu and Hong Kong's Lo Sin Yan, respectively.

In mixed doubles, the Indian duo of Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto also faced an early exit, falling 21-14, 21-18 to Indonesia's Dejan Ferdinansyah and Bernadine Wardana.

Despite Srikanth's early exit, India's rising badminton stars ensured continued representation in various categories as they head into the second round.