Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu Move Into Second Round At Thailand Open

Indian badminton stars Kidambi Srikanth and PV Sindhu advanced to the second round of their respective singles events at the Thailand Open Super 500 tournament on Wednesday, registering convincing straight-game victories in an otherwise mixed day of results for India.

Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth produced one of the standout performances of the day, defeating Singapore’s eighth seed Loh Kean Yew 21-14, 21-15 in just 30 minutes. Displaying sharp court control and aggressive shot-making, Srikanth dominated proceedings from the start and never allowed his higher-ranked opponent to settle into rhythm. He will next face Su Li Yang of Chinese Taipei in the round of 16.

In the women’s singles draw, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu also made a strong start, defeating Tung Ciou-Tong of Chinese Taipei in straight games. Sindhu’s composed performance ensured a comfortable passage into the next round, where she will take on Denmark’s Amalie Schulz as she continues her campaign for a deep run in the tournament.

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Elsewhere in the men’s singles category, India suffered setbacks as Ayush Shetty went down fighting against Japan’s sixth seed Kodai Naraoka 13-21, 21-17, 4-21 after a competitive start. Tharun Mannepalli also exited the competition following a 12-21, 16-21 loss to Japan’s Koki Watanabe, despite showing resistance in the second game.

The women’s singles draw saw closely contested matches, with Unnati Hooda and Anmol Kharb putting up spirited performances before bowing out. Hooda lost 21-11, 17-21, 16-21 to Thailand’s fourth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong after fighting back strongly in the second game. Kharb pushed Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei of China to three games but eventually fell 21-19, 13-21, 18-21 in a tightly contested encounter.

Later in the day, more Indian players were scheduled to compete in the men’s and women’s singles events, including Lakshya Sen, who was set to face Singapore’s Jia Heng Jason Teh. In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod, Isharani Baruah, and Tanvi Sharma were also in action, while Indian pairs continued their campaign in mixed doubles competition.The day reflected a blend of strong performances and narrow defeats for the Indian contingent, with experienced players like Srikanth and Sindhu keeping the country’s hopes alive in the tournament.

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