Japan Open 2024: Indian Challenge Ends After Sathish Kumar Karunakaran Loses in Second Round

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India's challenge at the Japan Open 2024 badminton tournament ended on Thursday (August 22) after Sathish Kumar Karunakaran lost in the men's singles second round match at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan.

The world number 47, Karunakaran went down to world No. 40 Kantaphon Wangcharoen of Thailand 21-18, 18-21, 8-21 in the men's singles pre-quarter final that lasted one hour and 10 minutes.

Wangcharoen raced to a 10-4 lead in the first game. Kantaphon had a strong grip in the opening game but the Indian badminton player mounted a comeback by winning eight points on the bounce after trailing 18-13 at one stage.

In the second game, Karunakaran went into the mid-game interval with a 11-9 lead. He had a four-point advantage at 15-11 but the Thai shuttler won 10 of the next 13 points to force a decider.

The final game saw a dominant performance from Wangcharoen, who stormed to a 13-3 lead and then controlled the game to secure his place in the quarter-finals.

Earlier on Wednesday (August 21), Karunakaran had advanced to the pre-quarterfinals after his opponent world No. 3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark pulled out of the match due to an injury.

Karunakaran was the only Indian shuttler from the 10-member contingent to make the round of 16 at the BWF Super 750 event in Japan as four singles shuttlers and three doubles teams bowed out in the opening round.

Three challengers in the women's singles category - Malvika Bansod, Ashmita Chaliha and Aakarshi Kashyap - crashed out after defeats in their respective first-round matches. Kiran George, in men's singles, also suffered the same fate.

In mixed doubles, Commonwealth Games medallists B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy conceded their opener due to a mid-game injury. Karunakaran, paired with Aadya Variyath for the mixed doubles event, too was knocked out in the opening round.

The Panda sisters, Rutuparna and Swetaparna, also crashed out in the first round of the women's doubles event after defeat to Danish pair Julie Finne-Ipsen and Mai Surrow.