Australian Open Badminton 2023: Srikanth, Prannoy, Rajawat into second round; Sindhu sets up all-India clash

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Sydney, August 2: India's Kidambi Srikanth eased past world number 14 Kenta Nishimoto of Japan in straight games to reach the second round of the Australian Open Badminton 2023 at the State Sports Centre in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday (August 2).

The world number 19 Indian shuttler defeated the Japanese shuttler 21-18, 21-7 in just 36 minutes in the men's singles opening round match. Srikanth will next face Chinese Taipei's Su Li Yang in the second round match on Thursday (August 3).

Meanwhile, sixth seed HS Prannoy ousted Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu in a three-game thriller by a scoreline of 21-18, 16-21, 21-15 in the first round match that lasted for an hour and six minutes. The Malaysia Masters champion will next face Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen in the second round.

In the other men's singles opener, Priyanshu Rajawat also sealed a straight games (21-12, 21-16) win over Australia's Nathan Tang in 33 minutes to set up a second round clash with Chinese Taipei's Wang Tzu Wei.

In the highlight of the day, Mithun Manjunath stunned former world champion and fourth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in straight games 21-19, 21-19 in 37 minutes to book a second round meeting with the winner of the all-Malaysian first round match between Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun-hao.

Later, Kiran George progressed after his compatriot and top shuttler Lakshya Sen was forced to retire in the early stage of the match with the score at 5-0. In the second round, George will face the winner of the clash between top seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia and NG Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu ended her run of first round exits with a straight games win over compatriot Ashmita Chaliha by a scoreline of 21-18, 21-13 in 36 minutes to set up another all-India clash against Akarshi Kashyap, who also registered a straight games win.

Kashyap defeated Malaysia's Goh Jin Wei 21-15, 21-17 in the women's singles opening round match that lasted for 36 minutes. Kashyap will now face fifth-seed compatriot Sindhu in the second round on Thursday (August 3).

While seven singles players progressed, two mixed doubles team and two more singles players of India crashed out in the opening round as Malvika Bansod and Tasnim Mir suffered straight games defeats to their respective opponents.

In mixed doubles, B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa suffered a straight games loss to Japanese pair Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito. The Indian pair lost 13-21, 12-21 to the Japanese duo.

In the other mixed doubles match, Rohan Kapoor and Sikki Reddy also suffered a straight game defeat. The Indian duo lost 14-21, 18-21 to South Korean pair Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu Jung in 39 minutes.

Earlier on Tuesday (August 1), women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the second round following a straight games (21-16, 21-17) win over world No. 29 Canadian pair of Catherine Choi and Josephine Wu. They will next face Japan's Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara.

Meanwhile, two other pairs crashed out as Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto lost to Indonesia's Febriana Kusuma and Aallania Pratiwi 11-21, 21-14, and 17-21, while Sikki Reddy and Arathi Sara Sunil lost to Ukraine's Yelyzaveta Zharka and Mariia Stoliarenko 19-21, 21-15, 19-21.