The ongoing Madrid Spain Masters 2024 witnessed contrasting fortunes for Indian badminton players. While P.V Sindhu shone, Srikanth bowed out and others dealt with mixed results.
Sindhu Makes Commanding Start
Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu lived up to her billing, cruising into the pre-quarters with a dominant display. Ranked second in the tournament, Sindhu dispatched Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang in straight sets (21-16, 21-12) in a swift 30-minute match. Her next challenge comes against Huang Yu-Hsun of Chinese Taipei. This win is crucial for Sindhu as the BWF Super 300 tournament offers valuable ranking points for the Paris 2024 Olympics qualification process.
Mixed Results for Other Indians at Madrid Spain Masters
While Sindhu impressed, other Indian shuttlers had a more challenging start.
- Ashmita Chaliha: Suffered a first-round defeat to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon.
- Kidambi Srikanth: Despite a good run at the Swiss Open, Srikanth, India’s leading men’s singles player, bowed out early after losing to Japan’s Koo Takahashi.
- Sathish Kumar Karunakaran: Put up a valiant fight but fell short against Indonesian Jason Teh.
- Mixed Doubles: The Indian pairing of Karunakaran and Aadya Variath couldn’t overcome the Indonesian duo of Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Haningtyas Menthari.
The tournament serves as a crucial stepping stone for Indian players aiming to qualify for the Olympics. The focus now shifts to Sindhu’s performance in the upcoming rounds and whether other Indians can bounce back and register victories.
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