Singapore Open 2024: Sindhu, Prannoy win; Lakshya loses to Axelsen

Ace Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and HS Prannoy progressed to the second round of the Singapore Open 2024 but Kidambi Srikanth had to retire mid-way in his match while Lakshya Sen lost to world number one Viktor Axelsen on Wednesday.

Sindhu, who last won a BWF title in Singapore two years back, entered the tournament after a runner-up finish at the Thailand Open.

Up against world No. 21 Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark, the Indian registered a 21-12, 22-20 win in a 44-minute opening round to set up a mouth-watering clash with Rio Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain.

World No. 3 Marin has an overwhelming 11-5 record against Sindhu. The last time the two clashed, it turned out to be an ill-tempered match at Denmark Open which saw both players receiving yellow cards for verbal exchanges.

HS Prannoy started well against his Belgian opponent Julien Carragi with a 21-9 win in the first game but then lost the closely fought game 18-21.

However, he displayed his experience to clinch the final game 21-9 and set up a pre-quarterfinals clash against Kenta Nishimoto of Japan.

World No. 14 Lakshya, who will be making his Olympic debut at the Paris Games, fought hard, but lost steam after the change of ends in the decider to go down 13-21, 21-16, 13-21 in 62 minutes to Axelsen, who won his first title of the season at the Thailand Open on Sunday.

Another Indian shuttler in the fray, Kidmabi Srikanth's match ended in agony as he was forced to retire mid-way against Japan's Kodai Naraoka. Srikanth was trailingg 14-21, 3-11.

Olympic-bound women's doubles pair Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto was shocked by world number 85 pair Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia Kanteymr.

The Ukrainian pair made a fabulous comeback to win the match 18-21, 21-19, 21-19

Another Indian women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won comfortably against Chinese Taipei pair Cheng Yu-Pei and Sun Yu Hsing. The Indian pair won 21-7, 21-14.

In other results, B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy lost 18-21, 19-21 to Malaysia's Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie in mixed doubles, while Venkat Gaurav Prasad and Juhi Dewangan lost 8-21, 8-21 against Mads Vestergaard and Christine Busch in another match.

World No. 1 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Denmark's world No. 34 Daniel Lundgaard and Mads Vestergaard 20-221, 181-21 in the opening round of men's doubles competition on Tuesday.