PV Sindhu Shines at Badminton Asia Championships Amidst Mixed Results for India

PV Sindhu progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Championships with a straight-game win, while Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy faced early exits. Kiran George advanced, but other Indian singles players saw defeats. In doubles, mixed results were recorded with some pairs progressing and others falling short.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu made a strong start at the Badminton Asia Championships, defeating Indonesia's Ester Nurumi Wardoyo in straight sets in the women's singles. However, Lakshya Sen's campaign ended prematurely as he was ousted by Lee Chia Hao of Chinese Taipei in the men's singles.

Sindhu's win of 21-15, 21-19 came in a 44-minute battle against the 19-year-old world number 36 Wardoyo. She is set to face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, currently ranked number four in the world, in the pre-quarterfinals.

In other matches, HS Prannoy was eliminated by China's Zu Guang Lu, while Kiran George secured a spot in the pre-quarterfinals with a victory over Kazakhstan's Dmitriy Panarin. India's women singles players, Aakarshi Kashyap, Anupama Upadhyaya, and Malvika Bansod, all faced defeats along with the women's doubles duo of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra. Meanwhile, the men's doubles team of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi progressed, while Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Sai Pratheek K did not.

(With inputs from agencies.)