Daijiworld Media Network – Jakarta
Jakarta, Jun 3: India’s men’s doubles stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty kept the national flag flying high at the Indonesia Open Super 1000 on Tuesday, pulling off a gutsy win in their opening round. Facing Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana on their home turf, the top-ranked Indian pair showed remarkable resilience to bounce back from a set down, clinching an 18-21, 21-18, 21-14 win in 67 minutes.
The hard-fought victory was a much-needed boost for the Indian contingent after early exits by top singles players Lakshya Sen and H S Prannoy. Satwik and Chirag, who have been pivotal in India’s doubles success in recent years, turned the tide with aggressive smashes and smart net play after a slow start.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy against an Indonesian pair on their home turf,” said Chirag. “But we stuck to our plan and trusted our rhythm. The crowd was loud, but we used that energy to push ourselves.”
In women’s singles, PV Sindhu battled past old rival and fellow former world champion Nozomi Okuhara in a thrilling three-game match. Sindhu, who has been struggling with early-round exits lately, edged out the Japanese shuttler 22-20, 21-23, 21-15 in one hour and 19 minutes to enter the Round-of-16.
“It feels good to win a match like this,” said a relieved Sindhu. “Getting through a tough one against someone like Nozomi really helps build my confidence.” She will next face Thailand’s sixth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong.
However, it was a tough outing for India in men’s singles. Lakshya Sen, making a comeback from a back injury, pushed world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi to three games before going down 11-21, 22-20, 15-21. Sen’s spirited second-game fight, where he saved a match point, reminded fans of his tenacity, but Shi’s consistency sealed the deal in the decider.
Veteran shuttler HS Prannoy also exited in the first round, losing 17-21, 18-21 to Indonesian youngster Alwi Farhan. Prannoy, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, failed to build momentum in the closely contested encounter.
Among the Indian women, only Sindhu advanced. Malvika Bansod retired mid-match after injuring her knee despite leading. Anupama Upadhyaya and Rakshitha Ramraj also crashed out in straight games, losing to Kim Ga Eun and Supanida Katethong, respectively.
With only a few names progressing, the pressure now rests on the shoulders of Satwik-Chirag and Sindhu to carry India’s hopes forward in the tournament.