Orleans Masters 2023: Priyanshu Rajawat Upsets Top Seed Kenta Nishimoto To Reach Quarterfinals

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Orleans (France), April 6: India's Priyanshu Rajawat stunned world no. 12 Kenta Nishimoto of Japan to reach the men's singles quarterfinals in the Orleans Masters 2023 at the Palais des Sports in Orleans, France on Thursday (April 6).

World no. 58 Indian shuttler defeated the top seeded Japanese, who had only recently clinched the Spain Masters title, via straight games (21-8, 21-16) in the second round match that lasted for 42 minutes on Court 1.

Rajawat, who was part of India's Thomas Cup winning team, came out all guns blazing, racing to a 10-0 lead in the opening game as Nishimoto found the going tough despite all his efforts, which saw him grab just eight points.

In the second game, the Japanese managed to move to a 6-2 advantage but Rajawat soon clawed back at 10-10. Nishimoto took a one-point cushion to go into the mid-game interval.

But a burst of six points helped the Indian take a 16-11 lead against Nishimoto. The Japanese once again led a fightback but Rajawat managed to keep his nose ahead.

Rajawat will next face Chinese Taipei's Chi Yu Jen, who edged out another Indian Mithun Manjunath via straight games (21-15, 21-19) in the another men's singles second round match. Rajawat and Yu Jen will meet on Friday (April 7).

Apart from Rajawat and Manjunath, mixed doubles pair Tanisha Crasto and Sai Pratheek K were also in action on Thursday (April 6). But the Indian pair crashed out following a closely contested match against Malaysia's Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei.

The unseeded Indian pair, who won the first game 23-21, lost the next two 17-21, 21-23 to the seventh-seeded Malaysian duo in the mixed doubles second round match that lasted for an hour and 3 minutes.

Also, Taniya Hemant, who met Japanese Natsuki Nadiara, suffered a straight games (8-21, 17-21) loss in the women's singles second round match that lasted for 39 minutes.