Mixed Fortunes for Indian Shuttlers at Macau Open

At the Macau Open, Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty progressed to the pre-quarterfinals, while HS Prannoy continued his losing streak. Unnati Hooda and Anmol Kharb faced early exits. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto advanced comfortably, highlighting a day of mixed outcomes for Indian badminton players.

World Championships medalist HS Prannoy's disappointing form continued as he faced yet another setback at the Macau Open. Prannoy was bested by Indonesia's Yohanes Saut Marcellyno, losing 21-18, 15-21, 16-21 in a grueling match that extended over an hour.

In contrast, Lakshya Sen, the Commonwealth Games champion, demonstrated resilience as he advanced to the pre-quarterfinals by defeating South Korea's Jeon Hyeok-jin with scores of 21-8, 21-14. Also advancing to the final 16 was Ayush Shetty, who showed impressive form against Chinese Taipei's Huang YK, winning 21-10, 21-11.

In the women's singles category, Anmol Kharb succumbed to Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan, concluding her journey with scores of 21-23, 11-21. Meanwhile, teenage sensation Unnati Hooda was unable to secure a spot in the pre-quarterfinals, losing to Denmark's Julie Dawall Jakobsen in a close contest. In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto's team efficiently advanced past their Thai opponents, securing victory in just 26 minutes.