Lakshya Sen Dominates Ayush Shetty in India Open Badminton Clash
Lakshya Sen vs. Ayush Shetty: A Clash of Generations
In the opening match of the India Open, Lakshya Sen faced off against Ayush Shetty, showcasing a battle between seasoned experience and emerging talent. At just 20 years old, Ayush, a BWF Super title holder, was anticipated to challenge Lakshya effectively during his debut at this prestigious event.
However, it was Lakshya who emerged victorious with a decisive performance. The first game concluded swiftly, with Lakshya securing a 21-12 win in just 14 minutes. He established an impressive 11-3 lead at the mid-game break, demonstrating exceptional shot-making skills that left Ayush struggling.
The second game began with Ayush taking an early 4-1 lead, but once Lakshya equalized at 7-7, he took control of the match. Despite Ayush holding a slight advantage at the mid-game break with an 11-10 lead, Lakshya's experience shone through as he clinched the game 21-15.
Next, Lakshya will compete against Japan's Kenta Nishimoto, who advanced after his opponent Kodai Naraoka retired while trailing.
Ayush acknowledged his mistakes during the match, stating, "I gave a big lead in the first game, which made it tough. I started well in the second, but once Lakshya caught up, I knew it would be challenging."
Lakshya commented on the new venue, which will host the World Championships later this year, noting, "We thought the larger hall would slow down the shuttle, but it felt fast. It's the first round, and we need to adapt to the conditions."
In women's doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand kicked off their campaign with a solid 21-15, 21-11 victory over Thailand's Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai. They are set to face China's Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min, who defeated USA's Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai.
In men's doubles, MR Arjun and H Amsakarunan triumphed in their opening match with a score of 21-15, 21-18 against Malaysia's Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin. India's top doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, advanced due to a walkover from the American duo Chen Zhi Yi and Presley Smith.
Unfortunately, Shruti Mishra and Priya Konjengbam were eliminated in their first match despite saving five match points, losing 11-21, 22-20, 22-24 to Hong Kong's Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan.
Additionally, the mixed doubles team of Dhruv Rawat and Maneesha K fell to Japan's Hiroki Midorikawa and Nami Matsuyama with scores of 9-21, 10-21.