Jakarta, June 3 (IANS) India’s top-ranked men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, kept the country’s hopes alive at the prestigious Indonesia Open Super 1000 with a determined opening-round win on Tuesday. Against the home favourites, Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana, the Indian duo showed composure and grit, bouncing back from a game down to secure an 18-21, 21-18, 21-14 victory in 67 minutes.

Their win comes as a timely boost for the Indian contingent, with top singles players Lakshya Sen and H.S. Prannoy exiting early in Jakarta. Satwik and Chirag, who have consistently led India’s doubles revolution over the past couple of seasons, showed why they remain one of the strongest contenders in the tournament. After a slow start, they upped their intensity in the second game and dominated the decider with powerful smashes and intelligent net play.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy against an Indonesian pair on their home turf,” Chirag said after the win. “But we stuck to our plan and trusted our rhythm. The crowd was loud, but we used that energy to push ourselves.”

In women’s singles, PV Sindhu added to India’s day of mixed fortunes with a dramatic three-game win over long-time rival Nozomi Okuhara. In a battle of former world champions, Sindhu emerged victorious 22-20, 21-23, 21-15 after one hour and 19 minutes of intense badminton.

“It feels good to win a match like this,” Sindhu said after her hard-fought triumph. “I’ve had a string of early-round exits lately, so getting through a tough one against someone like Nozomi really helps build my confidence.”

Sindhu, who saved a game point in the opener and squandered two match points in the second, showed mental strength to close out the decider. The win improved her head-to-head record against Okuhara to 11-9 and set up a Round-of-16 clash with Thailand’s sixth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Elsewhere, it was a disappointing day for India in men’s singles. Lakshya Sen, returning from a back injury, fell short despite a spirited effort against world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi. The 2021 World Championships bronze medallist stretched Shi to three games, eventually losing 11-21, 22-20, 15-21 in a match that lasted 65 minutes.

Sen’s performance in the second game, where he saved a match point and snatched the game 22-20, was a reminder of his fighting spirit. But Shi was too steady in the decider, keeping the Indian at bay with deft control and movement.

Veteran shuttler HS Prannoy too suffered a first-round exit, going down 17-21, 18-21 to Indonesia’s emerging star Alwi Farhan in a tight battle. The loss marked an early end to the campaign for the 2023 World Championships bronze medallist, who struggled to find momentum against the young local favourite.

Among Indian women, only Sindhu managed to progress. Malvika Bansod was forced to retire despite leading her match after she slipped on the court and injured her knee. Anupama Upadhyaya and Rakshitha Ramraj also bowed out, losing in straight games to Kim Ga Eun and Supanida Katethong, respectively.

–IANS

hs/bsk/