Badminton
Kiran George stuns World No.13 Popov; Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty enter Hylo Open quarterfinals
Ayush Shetty stunned former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-11, 21-11 to also reach the quarterfinals.
Kiran George in action on the second round of the India Open 2025. (Credits: BAI)
India’s Kiran George produced a remarkable comeback to defeat world No.13 Toma Junior Popov of France and secure a place in the men’s singles quarterfinals at the USD 475,000 Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Thursday.
World No.38 Kiran, son of former national champion George Thomas, prevailed 18-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a gripping 69-minute encounter.
The 25-year-old, who trains at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, last featured in a Super 750 quarterfinal at the India Open in January.
A two-time Super 100 winner—having captured the Odisha Open (2022) and Indonesia Masters (2023)—he will next face either Jonatan Christie of Indonesia or Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei.
Lakshya, Rakshitha, and Ayush continue India’s strong run
Earlier, Lakshya Sen and Rakshitha Ramesh also advanced to the quarterfinals with convincing wins. Lakshya, the 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, cruised past compatriot S. Subramanian 21-14, 21-11, while Rakshitha battled past Shriyanshi Valishetty 19-21, 21-8, 21-13 in a 58-minute all-Indian contest. Lakshya will next face fourth seed Alex Lanier of France, while Rakshitha takes on Denmark’s Line Christophersen.
Adding to India’s success, Ayush Shetty stunned former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-11, 21-11 to also reach the quarterfinals.
Kiran, a member of India’s 2022 Thomas Cup-winning and 2020 Asian Team Championships squads, showcased resilience after losing the opening game against Popov.
Despite trailing 6-11 in the decider, he rallied with composure to seal one of the biggest wins of his career, marking a confident return to form on the international circuit.
