नवीनतम
Lakshya, Mannepalli bow out in Macau Open semifinals
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: India’s campaign at the Macau Open Super 300 badminton tournament came to an end on Saturday after Lakshya Sen and Tharun Mannepalli suffered semifinal defeats in their respective men’s singles matches.
Lakshya, a 2021 world championship bronze medallist and reigning Commonwealth Games champion, couldn’t match the pace and precision of Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan, going down 16-21 9-21 in a 39-minute contest to continue his patchy run that has seen him struggle with form and fitness this season.
In the other semifinal, India’s Tharun Mannepalli went down fighting against Malaysia’s Justin Hoh in a gripping three-game contest that lasted an hour and 21 minutes.
The 23-year-old Mannepalli, ranked 47th in the world, squandered a strong start to lose 21-19 16-21 16-21 in a match marked by fluctuating momentum and a flurry of unforced errors.
It has been a tough season for world number 17 Lakshya, who has had seven first-round exits and two second-round ousters this season. The 23-year-old, who has been affected by shoulder, back and ankle issues this season, had entered the tournament to gain some confidence before heading to the World Championships in Paris.
However, it was Farhan, the 2023 World Junior Champion and a member of Indonesia’s bronze-medal-winning Sudirman Cup squad, who produced a dominating performance to knock him out of the tournament.
