Lakshya Sen bows out of Thailand Open as Satwik-Chirag reach semifinals
Lakshya Sen exited the Thailand Open quarterfinals after losing to Kunlavut Vitidsarn, while Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the semifinals with a commanding win. P.V. Sindhu also suffered a hard-fought defeat against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi
Pathumwan (Thailand): Lakshya Sen, the runner-up at the All England Open, was eliminated by Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the quarterfinals of the men’s singles at the Thailand Open in Bangkok on Friday.
Kunlavut raced to an early 11-2 lead in the opening game, but Lakshya responded strongly with five consecutive points to reduce the deficit. Despite a spirited fight, the Indian shuttler could not overcome the Olympic silver medallist, losing 19-21, 16-21.
Earlier, India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, advanced to the semifinals of the Thailand Open with a commanding victory in Bangkok.
Meanwhile, P.V. Sindhu suffered a quarterfinal exit after losing a hard-fought match against Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.
The top-seeded Indian men’s doubles team dominated Japan’s Takumi Nomura and Yuichi Shimogami, winning 21-12, 21-13 in just 41 minutes. This marked their first semifinal appearance at a BWF World Tour event in 2026.
Facing the world No. 34 Japanese pair for the first time, Satwik and Chirag were in complete control from the outset. They surged to a stunning 10-0 lead in the first game before Nomura and Shimogami finally got on the board.
Although the sixth-seeded Japanese duo briefly cut the lead to four points at 10-14 after the interval, the Indians quickly regained momentum to close out the opening game with ease.
The second game was more competitive early on, with the Japanese pair staying within two points. However, Satwik and Chirag kept their composure and gradually pulled away, sealing the match decisively.
The world No. 4 Indian duo, seeking their first title since winning the Thailand Open in 2024, will face either Malaysia’s third-seeded pair Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin or Scotland’s Christopher Grimley and Matthew Grimley in the semifinals.
Earlier, double Olympic medallist Sindhu lost her quarterfinal 21-19, 18-21, 15-21 to top seed and world No. 3 Akane Yamaguchi in a 61-minute battle.
Sindhu entered the match with a 15-11 head-to-head record against Yamaguchi and took the opening game after edging ahead at 19-19. In the second game, she held a four-point lead at the mid-game interval, but a string of unforced errors allowed Yamaguchi to claim seven straight points and turn the contest around.
The Japanese star capitalized on the momentum shift, dominating the decider to secure victory.
