India Open: Lakshya wins battle of Indians to enter second round after Ayush scalp

new delhi: Ace shuttler Lakshya Sen stormed into the second round of the India Open Super 750 with a dominant straight-game win over compatriot Ayush Shetty in the men’s singles opening round at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

The 2021 World Championships bronze medallist asserted his superiority early to register a clinical 21-12, 21-15 victory over the 20-year-old Ayush, who was making his debut at the $950,000 event.

“I didn’t expect it to be too tricky, but I think it will get better from the second round,” Lakshya. “We thought the hall was big, so the shuttle might travel a little bit slower, but I think it was quick, and also there was a little bit drift or sideways, but I think again, first round it’s always we have to adapt to the situations. He’s a really, really good opponent, and I had to come really prepared for the match. I’m just taking one match at a time, so I’m not thinking, I think, too wide, just focusing on the next match.” The 24-year-old from Almora will next face Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, who advanced after countryman and seventh seed Kodai Naraoka retired while trailing 6-21, 6-7 in another match.

In women’s doubles, Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who defended their title at the Syed Modi International last December, also made a positive start, notching up a 21-15, 21-11 win over Thailand’s Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Sukitta Suwachai.

The Indian pair will now face seventh seeds Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min of China, who defeated USA’s Francesca Corbett and Jennie Gai 21-12, 21-8.

In men’s doubles, Hariharan Amsakarunan and M.R. Arjun crossed the first hurdle with a 21-15, 21-18 win over Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi and Ong Yew Sin to set up a clash with fourth seeds Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China. India’s top men’s doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, seeded third, also progressed without taking the court after a walkover.