File image of Lakshya Sen.© AFP
India made a sizzling start to their campaign, delivering a 5-0 thrashing to Macau in their opening group D tie of the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championship at Qingdao, China on Wednesday. Having won the bronze medal in the last edition in Dubai, India are now assured of a quarterfinal berth. They will next face Korea in their second and final group tie on Thursday. The mixed doubles pair of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath, the newly-crowned National Games gold medallists, gave India a rousing start, recording a 21-10, 21-9 win against Iok Chong Leong and Weng Chi Ng in the opening match.
In men’s singles, 2021 World Championships bronze medallist Lakshya Sen then outwitted Pang Fong Pui 21-16, 21-12, making it 2-0.
Malvika Bansod, the 2024 Hylo Open finalist, then sealed the tie for India with a dominant 21-15, 21-9 win over Hao Wai Chan in women’s singles.
Chirag Shetty paired up with MR Arjun and prevailed 21-15, 21-19 over Chin Pon Pui and Kok Wen Vong in men’s doubles.
The world number 9 women’s doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand completed the demolition with a 21-10, 21-5 thrashing of NG Weng Chi and Pui Chi Wa in the final match.
Thursday’s match against Korea will decide the group topper.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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