Malaysia Open 2024: Srikanth, Ponnappa-Crasto Progress To Second Round; Kashyap, Arjun-Kapila Crash Out

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Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth fought back from a game down to overcome world number 5 Indonesian Jonatan Christie to reach the second round of Malaysia Open 2024 badminton tournament at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday (January 9).

The 30-year-old Indian, who has been going through a lean phase for quite sometime, notched up a stunning 12-21 21-18 21-16 win over sixth seed Christie in the opening round match that lasted an hour and five minutes on court 1.

Srikanth always had some tough battles against the Indonesian, but with the recent win, the Indian took a 6-5 edge in the head to head battles of 11 matches.

Playing the first match of the new season, Srikanth went down in the first game, but fought back brilliantly to force the match into a decider and stuned the sixth Indonesian by winning the second and third games.

Srikanth will next face Hong Kong's NG Ka Long Angus in the second round on Thursday (January 11). Also, joining Srikanth in the second round from India were women's doubles pair Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, who registered straight games win.

Ponnappa and Crasto pair eased past American duo of Francesca Corbett and Allison Lee in the first round match by a scoreline of 21-13, 21-16 in 38 minutes on court 4.

The in-form Indian women's doubles pair of Crasto and Ponnappa will next face Japan's Mayu Matsumoto & Wakana Nagahara, who eased past India's Rutaparna Panda & Swetaparna Panda 21-12, 21-11 in 37 minutes on court 3.

While Srikanth and Ponnappa-Crasto pair progressed, one women's singles shuttler, a women's doubles team and a men's doubles team made an early exit from the Malaysia Open Super 1000 tournament.

Earlier on Tuesday (January 9), the lone women's singles representative from the country, Akarshi Kashyap suffered a straight games loss to China's Zhang Yi Man by a scoreline of 15-21, 15-21 in the first round match that laster for 37 minutes on court 2.

Meanwhile, the men's doubles team of Dhruv Kapil and MR Arjun went down fighting straight games to Chinese Taipei's Fang Chih Lee and Fang Jen Lee by a scoreline of 16-21, 19-21 in the men's doubles opener that lasted 44 minutes on Court 2.

On Wednesday (January 10), the likes of Lakhsya Sen, HS Prannoy and top doubles team of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will take the court for first round action.