Badminton
Indonesia Masters: Lakshya, Kiran win; Prannoy, Srikanth make first-round exits
Lakshya defeated Weng Hong Yang in straight games, while Kiran defeated Toma Junior Popov in a three-gamer. Prannoy and Srikanth, however, lost their first-round matches.
Lakshya Sen and Kiran George advanced to the second round of Indonesia Masters on Wednesday.
Lakshya Sen, who lost in the first round of two consecutive tournaments in 2024, emerged triumphant against world no. 17 Weng Hong Yang of China in the first round of the Indonesia Masters Super 500 on Wednesday in Jakarta.
Lakshya, ranked 19th in the world, defeated Weng Hong in straight games (24-22, 21-15) in 51 minutes in what was revenge for the Indian shuttler's straight games defeat to the Chinese player in the opening round of the Malaysia Open Super 1000 earlier this month.
However, HS Prannoy, India's top-ranked men's singles player at 8th, and Kidambi Srikanth endured first-round exits.
Prannoy went down in a three-gamer against Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in a match that lasted for an hour.
Prannoy, who made a semifinal finish at the India Open last week, lost 18-21, 21-19, 10-21.
Srikanth failed to capitalise on his first-game advantage against Lee Zii Jia as he lost 21-19, 14-21, 11-21.
This was Prannoy's second first-round defeat in 2024. At the season-opening Malaysia Open, he lost to Anders Antonsen 14-21, 11-21 in 43 minutes.
Kiran George, meanwhile, maintained his fine form by winning yet another three-gamer against Toma Junior Popov in his first-round main draw match.
Kiran fought back from a game down to win the match 18-21, 21-16, 21-19 in 70 minutes.
On Tuesday, Kiran won two three-gamers against Shesar Hiren Rhustavito and Alex Lanier in the qualifying rounds to seal his place in the first round. He will take on Lu Guang Zu of China in the second round.
